Historical Accommodation

Stay With Us

Step back in time at Coolangatta Estate, where 19th-century convict-built buildings have been restored into a one-of-a-kind rustic motel rooms.

Scattered across our heritage-listed grounds, each of the 26* unique rooms blends history with modern comfort, featuring a kitchenette, air-conditioning, and ensuite. With little to no Wi-Fi or mobile service, you can disconnect from the modern world and fully embrace the estate’s old-world charm. Wander through history, sip estate-grown wine, and unwind with tennis, croquet, or a dip in the pool—a stay like no other—authentic, historic, and truly unforgettable.

*We have 41 beds across 26 rooms with the capacity to sleep up to 70 guests.

“Old places have soul”

— unknown

A yellow wooden cottage with green trim and a grey metal roof, surrounded by green bushes and trees, under a clear blue sky.

The Cottage

A cozy bedroom with a bed, a small couch, two windows, and a view into a bathroom. The room has yellow walls, white trim, and dark carpet. There are wall-mounted lights and an air conditioning unit.

Cottage 1

A bedroom with yellow walls, a large bed with pillows and bedside lamps, a smaller bed, a vintage wooden dresser with a mirror, a beige sofa with a pillow, and framed pictures on the wall.

Cottage 2

A hotel room with two single beds each with a blue pillow and white linens, a black fireplace with a framed black-and-white photograph above it, and a doorway leading to another room with additional beds and furniture.

Cottage 3

A spacious hotel room with a large bed, navy blue sofa, small dining table with chairs, bay window with yellow floral curtains, a fireplace, and a small kitchenette area.

Cottage 4

Hotel room with a bed, flat-screen TV, wooden dresser with mirror, gray sofa, fireplace, and an open door leading to a bathroom.

Cottage 5

Hotel room with a bed, fireplace, small kitchenette, window, and door leading to bathroom.

Cottage 6

Originally the home of the daughters of the Hay family. The building had been vacant for some time following the death of the last surviving daughter, Miss Nona. Maintenance was nil. A section of the building had to be demolished and rebuilt. The entire building was re-lined and much of the roof replaced. A row of bathrooms was replaced on the wide central hallway to service the various rooms. This building was a much later vintage than the others..

Today the Cottage has been restored and converted into six motel-style rooms.

A two-story building with a combination of yellow wood siding and red brick walls, situated among trees and greenery, with a dirt path in front and a red barn door on the side.

The Plumbers Shop

Alexander 7

A spacious attic room with a brick accent wall, a bed with pillows and tied towels, a navy blue floral sofa with light green pillows, a wooden wardrobe, a wooden TV stand with a flat screen TV, and multiple windows with blue blinds.

A bedroom with a bed covered in white linens, three rolled towels, and decorative pillows, next to a wooden side table with a lamp and small plant. There are two windows with white curtains, one showing a tree outside.

David 8

Interior of a rustic studio apartment with wooden ceiling beams, a bed, sofa, small kitchenette, and an open door leading to an outdoor patio with trees and chairs.

A bedroom with a brick wall, a large bed, nightstands with lamps, and a window with curtains showing an outdoor view.

Mezzanine 9

Living room with brick walls, blue sofa, small wooden coffee table, flat-screen TV on a wooden stand, staircase with wooden railing, and kitchen area with white cabinets and small windows, with a loft area above.

In the early 1800’s, the Plumbers Shop was a hub of activity; the only district workshop for many years. From earlier photographs, it is obvious the Plumbers Shop building is only about one third of its original size. It had been roughly converted to accommodate a migrant family and then deserted for many years. Vandals had smashed its interior to pieces. The building is believed to be the oldest timber building on the South Coast. For this reason, the internal framework was exposed and on some of the steelwork the B&W brand can be seen (Berry & Wollstonecraft).

Today the Plumbers Shop has been restored and converted into three motel-style rooms.

A brick house with a metal roof, multiple white-framed windows, a green porch railing, and a garden with green plants in front. There is a tree with green leaves in the foreground and antennas on the roof. The sun is setting in the background.

A brick building with a metal roof and several small windows, surrounded by green plants, with trees and a clear sky in the background.

The Stables

A bedroom with a bed, linens, and rolled towels, small black nightstands with lamps, a doorway leading to a bathroom, and a view of a living area with a sofa and large windows showing outdoor trees.

Stables 12

A cozy bedroom with a bed at the far end, nightstands with lamps on each side, a window with curtains, a sofa with pillows on the right, a vintage wooden dressing table on the left, a rustic wooden ceiling with beams, and wall decorations including a mirror and framed pictures.

Stables 13

Hotel room with a double bed, a beige couch, a wooden table, a small round red dining table, green-cushioned chairs, a large window with blue curtains, a dark wooden wardrobe, framed pictures on the wall, and a ceiling with dark wood paneling.

Stables 14

Interior of a cozy hotel room with a large bed, pillows, towels, a bedside table, a wooden armoire, a small coffee table, a sofa, a mini fridge, a mounted TV, and a kitchenette with a sink and a red kettle. The ceiling is wooden with exposed beams.

Stables 15

A cozy hotel room with a bed, a small sofa, a window with curtains, a picture on the wall, a small table with chairs, and a flat-screen TV mounted on the wall.

Stables 16

Many famous horses of the original colony were stabled here – the stallion “Jack”, the mare “Sellem” and of course, “Jerry Bailey” who gave his name to the nearby seaside village, now Shoalhaven Heads. Although the first Melbourne Cup winner “Archer” was stabled at Terara on the other side of the river, it would have been almost certain he would have visited Coolangatta many times. Upon restoration, it was discovered the building had been heavily vandalized. Floors had to be tiled and partitions replaced. Meticulous care was taken to preserve the original building, particularly externally even to the divided doors.

Today the Stables has been restored and converted into five motel-style rooms.

A rectangular barn with a red brick exterior, green doors, and a gray metal roof. The barn has two small dormer windows on the roof and small windows on each side. There is a fire extinguisher mounted on the exterior wall near the right side. A large tree with green leaves extends across the foreground, partially obscuring the barn. Green plants are in front of the barn, and the background shows a hilly landscape with more trees and open fields.

The Blacksmiths

Blacksmiths 17

Cozy bedroom with a large bed, pillows, rolled towels, and a throw blanket, featuring a window, sloped ceiling, and wall-mounted air conditioner.

Blacksmiths 18

Living room with a blue couch, a staircase, a window with curtains, a television mounted on the wall, a small dining counter with two stools, a microwave, and a mini fridge.

A bedroom with a white bed, black headboard, and pillows, one blue and one print. Rolled towels on the bed. Nightstand with a lamp, window with outside view, and a white closet. Air conditioner on the wall.

Blacksmiths 19

Blacksmiths 20

As the name suggests, the Blacksmiths Shop was a functioning workshop during early settlement servicing the township and wider community. Later on, the building would be dismantled internally and used as feed stalls for milking cattle. The floor was earthen brickwork and in an atrocious condition, only half the shell remained. It was necessary to completely re-design the interior for motel use. The objective was to retain the outside shell. During restoration, the original bellows from its use as a Blacksmiths Shop were found on the property and are displayed in our Restaurant.

Today the Blacksmiths block is now 4 motel rooms.

Yellow cottage with a white picket fence, surrounded by green plants and trees, under a blue sky.

The Convict Cottage

A cozy bedroom with cream-colored paneled walls, a bed with white and gray linens, two teal pillows, and a gray throw blanket. There are two nightstands with lamps on either side of the bed, and framed botanical art hangs above. A doorway reveals a bathroom with a toilet and window.

Convict Cottage 24

Living room with cream-colored walls, a white brick fireplace with a wood mantel, a flat-screen TV on a white cabinet, a small dining table with two chairs, a kitchen area with microwave, kettle, and small appliances, and a beige sofa with green pillows. Yellow curtains with a floral pattern are on the window.

More commonly known as our “Bridal Suite”; The Convict Cottage was originally used to accommodate the maid who looked after the spinsters in the Cottage next door. This cottage is of the same design as the original convict cottages which were scattered in the quieter places on the property. Its condition was deplorable and required almost complete rebuilding and re-roofing. This was done because it was the only one remaining of its kind in the district and that link with the past had to be maintained.

Today the Convict Cottage is a free-standing single motel room.

A small brick building with a gray metal roof and green door, located in a neighborhood with trees and a yellow house in the background.

The Harness Room

Harness Room 25

Its use was as the name indicates but in the later years had housed the generator which provided power for lighting in the Homestead. Re-roofing was necessary and internally the original bricks were exposed and mortise tenant and peg joints featured.

Today the Harness Room is a free-standing single motel room.

A large red house with a black metal roof set in a lush green garden under a clear blue sky, with a hill or mountain covered in trees in the background.

A pink stucco building with two windows and a sign that reads "Servant's Quarters". There are green plants in front and to the right of the building.

The Servants Quarters

Living room with navy blue sofa, white pillows, window, air conditioner, open glass door leading to outdoor patio with table and chairs, wall-mounted TV, small black table with a green plant, black entertainment stand, and light-colored carpet.

Coachman’s House

Dining room with white table and six matching chairs, artwork on walls, staircase in background, small side table with decorative object, tiled floor, and a bench with floral cushion.

Servants Quarters 26

Bedroom with a bed, pillows, a nightstand, and a view through glass doors to an outdoor patio

Servants Quarters 27

Hotel room with a bed, a doorway, and a sitting area in the background.

Servants Quarters 28

A spacious hotel room with a large bed, nightstands, lamps, a sitting area with chairs and a small table near the window, a small TV, and a kitchenette area with a microwave and coffee maker.

Servants Quarters 29

A bedroom with a large bed, bedside lamps, framed artwork on the wall, and red curtains over a window.

Servants Quarters 31

Once used as our reception office but currently motel rooms. The Servants Quarters and laundry were on the western side of the building adjacent to the original homestead, which was destroyed by fire in 1946. Groomsmen occupied the opposite side of the building next to the stables. The two areas were divided by a large store room from which the rations were distributed. (The old ten, ten, two and a quarter being the most heard of, comprising ten pounds’ flour, ten-pound meat, two-pound sugar and a quarter pound tea per family). From the time of purchase by the present owners in 1946, the building was progressively restored as a home until restoration as motel accommodation.

Today the Servants Quarters has been restored and converted into six motel-style rooms.

Room Facilities & Information

Coolangatta Estate is a working farm in a rural setting. Guests should expect to see wildlife, insects, and farm activity during their stay, which all form part of the Estate experience.

Due to our location, Wi-Fi is not available in guest accommodation, and mobile reception may be limited depending on your provider. We encourage guests to plan ahead and enjoy the chance to switch off.

Each room includes an ensuite bathroom, television, air-conditioning, tea and coffee-making facilities, hairdryer, and ironing facilities.

Rooms are not serviced daily. If you require fresh linen, towels, or additional assistance during your stay, please contact Reception. Additional servicing is available for a fee of $60 per day, subject to availability.

Our accommodation consists of Small, Standard, and Large Village Rooms. As a historic property, no two rooms are the same, with each offering its own layout and character. All rates are based on twin share. An additional $30 per person, per night applies for extra guests.

To request a specific room, please email us: reception@coolangattaestate.com.au (fees may apply)

Reservations

Coolangatta Estate would like to credit Jon Harris Photography for the images used on this webpage.