Summary:
A holiday house on the rugged East coast of Tasmania, originally hand crafted by a local war veteran in the 70s, reimagined by an architect and brought back to life.
Hit the reset button and forget your problems in front of one of the indoor or outdoor fireplaces or enjoy the ultimate shack addition - the wood fired hot tub.
Moody and cosy, Sisters is not just another shack. Set high on the cliffs with only crown land separating you from the ocean, we guarantee you will feed your soul here.
The Space:
'Sisters' was originally built by Adrian Billings who was sent to Tasmania to recover from 4 years as a POW in Changi, Singapore. Despite being riddled with shrapnel and with one crippled arm he came close to completing the project before he was sadly killed by a drunk driver. The Billings family completed the build after Adrian's passing and enjoyed the shack for many years afterwards.
Since purchasing the shack, we have treated Sisters to an extensive renovation. Adrian's original vision has been honoured by complimenting the original 70's features with modern additions to create luxury cabin vibes. 'Sisters' was named as a tribute towards the original owner's time spent in Tasmania's north west at Sisters Beach and the original blue prints are now hung in the upstairs landing.
This little slice of heaven borders crown reserve on top of the cliffs overlooking magical Spring Beach and Maria Island. The back gate takes guests straight out onto the cliff track and down to Spring Beach in around 2 minutes. Alternatively, venture south on the track to one of the area's best kept secrets - Stapleton's Beach, an untouched cove with white sand and breathtaking views across the Mercury passage.
Sisters is laid out across 3 split levels with a large outdoor deck and an elevated smaller deck. Perfect in Summer and arguably even better in Winter, you can hide away from the world in our secluded holiday house.
The master bedroom is furnished with a king bed and enjoys forest views across to Spring Beach in the distance. The second bedroom catches glimpses of Maria Island through the crown reserve.
The bunk room is the stuff kids dreams are made of with wall to wall built-in timber bunks featuring circular cut-outs for secret late-night chats and individual lighting for night time reads. A secret cubby house in the bunk room will also keep the kids captivated. One of the bunk drawers is filled with games ranging from Cards against Humanity to the ultimate shack staple, Scrabble.
Round out the evening by joining the exclusive Sisters 'Tub Club', sliding into the wood-fired hot tub and soaking under the milky way - if you're lucky you may see one of Elon Musk's Starlink Satellites glide overhead.
We will leave you a Polaroid camera fully loaded with a cartridge of 5 exposures to enjoy during your stay. If you would like to bring more cartridges please let us know and we will specify what film you need to pack.
Guests of Sisters will have exclusive use of our mooring in the Prosser River, should you wish to use it. The mooring is licensed to carry a vessel up to 25 ft.
Enjoy cooking, walks, star-gazing, beach-combing and generally as much or as little activity as you want.
Guest Access:
Sisters will be handed over to you exclusively to live your best life in for the duration of your stay.
The Neighborhood:
Spring Beach adjoins the township of Orford, which is the gateway to Tasmania's magical East Coast. An easy one hour drive from Hobart, Orford has an IGA convenience store and wood fired pizza restaurant. Alternatively, Elly's East Coast Kitchen or Wattlebanks Coastal Cafe and Providore will take care of the hungers when you can't be bothered cooking. There are a number of pubs in the area where you can enjoy a great Parmy.
Spring Beach and Stapleton's Beach are both great for swimming and nearby East Shelley Beach is a great sheltered alternative when the sea breeze is blowing.
Rheban Beach is a very quiet beach only 15 minutes drive from Sisters. Try your luck at finding an illusive cowrie shell - it is one of our favourite challenges!
If hiking is your thing, the Three Thumbs Track is a great short hike providing fantastic views of Orford, Spring Bay and Maria Island. The 2 hour, 4km loop walk takes you through dry eucalyptus forest and small sections of temperate rain forest.
Getting Around:
You'll need your own wheels to explore Spring Beach and the East Coast of Tassie.
Other Things to Note:
We are child-friendly, however please be aware that there are some steep ladders in the bunk room and some sharp edges in some of the steelwork around the property to be mindful of. We also have a wood heater in the living area that does *not* have a fire guard and therefore toddlers will need to be monitored (or please consider whether this will be an issue for you when you book). The open fire downstairs does have a fire screen.
The bunk beds and cubby house have steep, high ladders however we do have 3 x custom 'ladder blockers' available to stop the little ones from scaling these ladders.
The property is fully fenced, however we are located on the bluff (cliff top) and if the back gate is left open it is only a very short stroll to the cliff's edge. It is imperative you consider whether the property suits your group if you have young children.
Hill Street Grocer deliver to Spring Beach each Friday which is worth noting for weekend stays.
Interaction with Guests:
Please note we will not be able to help you in person during your stay, however hopefully we can talk you through any issues or questions you may have.
