Simpson Cottage Bundeena

14/06/2026

When did you last have a weekend with nothing in it?

A weekend without errands and catch-ups and or todo lists. A real one. Where the only decision is whether to light the fire and sip wine or tea beside it.

Next weekend has just opened up at Simpson Cottage. One hour from Sydney and you could be free from it all in this 160-year-old sandstone cottage tucked into the Royal National Park, where the days stretch and the pace softens and the to-do list gets left at the gate.

If you’ve been feeling like you need to come home to yourself for a few days — this might be the one.

📷 Jake Weisz & Flore Vallery-Radot

Book your weekend here www.simpsoncottage.com.au

10/06/2026

People sometimes ask why I haven’t replaced this. Or repaired that. Or why things aren’t straight.

The doorframes aren’t straight because the cottage has sat here for 160 years and witnessed countless storms and fires. The timber and sandstone carry the marks of all of it.

If I tried to repair and straighten everything, I’d be here for a lifetime.

It’s taken multiple generations for this cottage to become what it is. I don’t style for design and perfection. I style for feel — and you can’t manufacture that.

My aim is to preserve all her imperfections and charm.

They’re not flaws. They’re the story.

08/06/2026

I’m Tara. I look after Simpson Cottage.
I didn’t build it. I didn’t design it. I’m just the latest set of hands to care for a 160-year-old sandstone cottage in Bundeena, tucked inside the Royal National Park, one hour south of Sydney.

All I’ve done is fill it with things that have stories. My grandfather’s tools. Steve’s fishing reels. A pair of riding boots from my childhood. Shelves I’ve made from old recycled timber. A house tea blend. Wonky doorframes I refuse to straighten.

I style it for feel, not for design.

Guests tell me they didn’t know they were holding their breath until they got here. That something happens on the path between the gate and the front door. Shoulders drop. Birdsong becomes noticeable. Light catches the sandstone in a particular way. And the simple things — tea, fire, the sound and scent of bush — become the whole point.
That’s all I’m really offering. A place where the returning can happen.

One hour from Sydney. A world away from everything else.


📷

19/05/2026

It’s been a while. Life has been busy.
With emotions at polar opposites.
We cried happy tears at our daughter’s wedding and sad tears while my dear old dad recovered from heart attacks and moved onto aged care with dementia.
So I escaped to Simpson Cottage, sipped tea, admired the views and took time to notice some of my favourite corners and treasure. Which one is your favourite?

26/04/2026

We’re still riding the joy of our daughter wedding so I’ve been somewhat absent.
Steve had an obligation to attend an event at Bondi that took him away from his family while we were getting wedding ready.
He told he was off to walk his baby girl down the aisle shortly. She suggested they do a quick video and this is the result.
Just a very proud dad spreading the joy on his daughter’s wedding day.
&mrs

23/04/2026

Autumn has arrived
Don’t miss your autumn escape, I think it’s the best time of the year.
The water is warm nights cool enough to linger by the fire and watch the sunset
Link in bio 👆

03/04/2026

Time to relax and restore as you watch the world go by
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27/02/2026

Weekend vibes. Summer is slipping away, but there’s still plenty of sun and warmth left to enjoy. And then there’s autumn. No matter the season we have oodles of spots so you can escape.

15/09/2025

Time Out Sydney seems to love Bundeena as much as we do🥰

An easy train and a magical ferry ride will take you straight to Bundeena, a sleepy coastal village home to cute cafés, secluded coves and epic walking trails. Click the link in the comments to learn more 👇

18/05/2025

Imagine having a little garden where you grow strawberries for your cakes and tomatoes for your sandwiches and you have tea with your partner every mid morning? You plant a garden full of your favourite flowers and pick the flowers and put them next to your bed to fill your room full of their glorious fragrance? Oh the feels .....

Well whilst we can promise all of this, we can promise a similar feeling as you have tea on the verandah every morning and sit and soak in the warmth of the sun and watch the ripples on the water at Simpsons Bay as the soft breeze dances across it's surface.

Are you ready to experience the feels for yourself? Book a stay at Simpson Cottage for you and your loved ones. Head over to our website www.simpsonscottage.com.au and book now.


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