Take the Ferry to the Little Black Shack

This original timber and sandstone fishermans cottage on the waters edge of beautiful Mackerel Beach in Pittwater, has been lovingly restored into a secluded beach and bush hideaway and couple's retreat. Perfectly positioned, the Little Black Shack’s north east aspect lets you wake to the sunrise over Palm Beach headland and enjoy the sun all day long. The sea breeze keeps the shack cool during summer whilst the tree-lined ridge of Ku-ring-gai National Park behind, shelters it from the cold southerly winds during winter. With its rustic, hand built sandstone open fireplace, comfy leather chairs, soft cowhide rugs and full-length window box seat, The Little Black Shack is also a cosy winter cabin. There are two bedrooms and 1 bathroom. Just metres from the water, every room features windows and French or barn doors opening out to uninterrupted views of Mackerel Beach, Pittwater, Barrenjoey Headland, Palm Beach and beyond. The interior features recycled and hand made furniture with an eclectic mix of nautical antiques and collectables gathered from travels around the world and forages along the beach. The lounge, dining and gourmet chef’s kitchen are open plan. The lounge features a hand built sandstone fireplace and a floor to ceiling bookcase with an extensive library. A large flat screen TV, Blue-ray DVD and the latest Bose surround sound Wi-Fi stereo are hidden behind the doors of a rustic handmade cupboard with Bose speakers in the outdoor areas and Bose Wi-Fi systems in each bedroom. The window seat spanning the full length of the front of the lounge room, is the perfect spot to relax with a good book, chill out with your own playlist, take a nap or gaze out of any one of the 6 windows overlooking the stunning beaches and bay. The kitchen features concrete bench tops, wooden cupboards made from the original floorboards, a large farmhouse sink, commercial grade cookware, microwave, Ilve gas stove and electric oven, perfect for creating your favourite meals. Two French doors open from the kitchen/dining area onto a small covered balcony and bar area overlooking the water. Once you are here you will never want to leave - which is why the gourmet chef’s kitchen comes equipped with everything you need and a fully stocked pantry. You can also help yourself to the fresh herbs in the kitchen garden. The original sandstone bathroom features a beautiful stone bath and a large copper shower with amazing water views. The main bedroom has a generous king bed and access to a private lawn and garden. The rustic hand made bed has loads of comfy down pillows and is elevated to take full advantage of the water views! The second bedroom is reached by a short set of sandstone steps in front of the house. This cosy room features a super comfortable hand made queen bed. The room is built from the original sandstone, lined with timber and has a soft cowhide rug on the floor. It also enjoys stunning panoramic water views through the window and barn door. It has its own private stone terrace overlooking the water and a grassed area shaded by a large Frangipani tree, with a hammock to relax in ... Both rooms are beautifully furnished with cowhide rugs, antique cupboards and chests of drawers and the bedding is 100% linen. There is a large north facing sun deck at the front of the shack and a covered terrace and outdoor hand-built sandstone kitchen. Featuring a wood fired oven and charcoal BBQ/fireplace this space is perfect for all day alfresco living, dining, cooking and entertaining. There is an outdoor shower set amongst the trees half way down the front steps leading to a secluded sandy beach at low tide. Here you can rinse off after swimming or shower under the stars on warm summer evenings. The cottage is surrounded by native coastal gardens and terraced grass level areas overlooking the water and shaded by huge Frangipani trees. The Little Black Shack is completely eco friendly. Windows, barn doors and French doors allow the sea breeze to circulate and cool the house in summer while the open sandstone fireplace warms the house during winter using firewood collected from fallen trees off the property. Rainwater is harvested for bathing and washing which is recycled to irrigate the main garden. The grounds also feature a small kitchen garden to provide you with fresh herbs. When it comes to the interiors, if we couldn’t find it second hand, we made it by hand, from recycled, repurposed and found materials. Candles and oil lanterns are provided for alternative lighting. Guests are welcome to use the 2 kayaks, fishing rods and tackle, crab traps and snorkeling gear. There is also a beach umbrella supplied for shade. Relax in deck chairs on the sun decks and terrace or in a hammock under the shade of the old Frangipani trees around the cottage. Dine under the outdoor pergola on summer nights with meals prepared in the wood-fired oven or on the charcoal BBQ. The Little Black Shack is yours alone to enjoy for however long you decide to stay! All information about the facilities and activities will be in a book supplied in the cottage. We live in the local area and are just a phone call away. Whilst we’re only a mile from the mainland and Palm Beach, we might as well be a million miles away … Getting here is part of the experience. Once you board ‘Myra’ the old timber ferry at Palm Beach you leave the city and your worries behind. The Little Black Shack is reached via a short walking track at the end of the beach. Once you are here, close the gates, breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the view, the peace and the quiet. Relax and unwind on Mackerel's beautiful main sandy beach or enjoy swimming or snorkelling right out the front on a secluded section of the beach, fishing off the rocks below, kayaking or boating in the crystal clear protected waters of Pittwater. The surrounding National Park offers some incredible bush walks to secluded beaches, The Basin Lagoon, ancient Aboriginal engraving sites and incredible lookouts. Take a leisurely stroll along Mackerel Beach or through the valley behind it where you will find friendly locals (including wallabies and bush turkeys) and some original fibro beach cottages. You can also hire your own 'tinny' from Palm Beach to explore Pittwater’s many coves and bays by water. If you feel like heading back to the mainland, the old timber ferry ‘Myra’ leaves on the hour and is just a 10-minute ride to Palm Beach wharf. From here you can make the trek up to Barrenjoey Lighthouse, walk to Palm Beach, dine at the local restaurants, bars and cafes or browse the shops, galleries and Palm Beach markets (on set days). You can also head into Avalon village, just 5 minutes down the road by car. Here you can explore the many shops, restaurants and bars, visit the surf beach or take in a movie. Mackerel Beach is accessed via ferry, barge or water taxi from Palm Beach wharf, by private boat, or by seaplane from Rose Bay. Once here there are 2 modes of transport on Mackerel itself – your left foot and your right foot! Of course there are a few people who ride bikes, a golf cart or two and plenty of canoes, kayaks and dinghies. There are no roads here, just grassy pathways and bush tracks. There are no shops on Mackerel Beach so we encourage you to bring your own food supplies. We do offer a fully stocked gourmet pantry for all the basics and a herb garden to pick herbs of your choice. Please note the TV is for DVD operation only. Foxtel is not provided.