Lyrebird Studio Secluded Retreat in the Watagans. 20 min drive to Cessnock

Lyrebird Studio in the Watagans is a secluded retreat on a rural property of over 40 hectares on the edge of the beautiful Watagan Mountains, 1.5 hours north of Sydney & 20 minutes from Cessnock allowing you to unwind, listen to the wind in the trees, and observe the local bird and wildlife.

The only tweeting you will hear will be from the local birds, including lyrebirds, king parrots, black cockatoos and many other species.  We have two large wedgetail eagle nests up the mountain and you can often see them soaring in the updrafts they are a sight to behold!

Watch out as the wombat (wallabies and kangaroos) come down to graze in the surrounding paddocks most days.  At night, wombats come out to feed and the local possum population occasionally hold a noisy gathering in the bush!

Amenities include air-conditioning, a compact kitchen and living area with comfortable couches and antique furniture.  A potbelly wood burning stove adds to the ambiance in the cooler months. 
The living room also offers a large screen TV and DVD player, radio and CD player.  The bedroom has comfortable bedding and luxury linen, including electric blankets.  The bathroom has shower, all linen, and heated towel rail.

Lyrebird Studio is a self-catering retreat with a convection microwave and outdoor BBQ, offering all the essentials for a relaxed stay. Enjoy preparing your own meals in a peaceful and private setting, surrounded by nature.

Due to the surrounding wildlife, Lyrebird Studio is not a "pet-friendly" property. This ensures the safety and comfort of both the animals and guests, as well as preserving the natural environment.

Disconnect from the world with limited mobile reception and internet access, making it the ideal spot to truly relax and recharge.

Due to our location mobile phone/internet reception is patchy. If you live for texting, phone calls & internet, please note it's limited and streaming will most likely not work. 

THE Important Stuff -
Bedroom 1: 1 King bed
Lounge Room: 1 double sofa bed available for groups of 2 or more.

How We Price: The booking price is based on a minimum number of guests. Any guests above this number are chargeable on a per person/per night rate. The system will automatically calculate the correct rate when you enter the required number of guests. Reductions in guest numbers are non-refundable.

Arrival Details: Access to the property is made simple. You’ll receive an access code via SMS just before 3pm on your arrival day, which you’ll use for the duration of your stay. Standard check-in is at 3pm. While an earlier arrival may be possible, it cannot be confirmed until the afternoon prior to your arrival. If an earlier check-in is available, we will send you an SMS by 4pm the day before to confirm.

Linen: 1 set of full bed linens and 1 bath towel per person are supplied. Guests may wish to bring extra towels depending on the length of their stay. Pool/Lake/Beach towels are BYO.

Guest Amenities: We are Eco-Friendly - to help reduce wastage, we supply a single bottle of 3in1 shampoo/conditioner/body wash in all showers. In addition, guests are advised to bring their own personal preferred bathroom products/amenities.

Wifi is provided complimentary on behalf of the owner. It is intended to be used in an appropriate manner by all guests. As the service is provided by an external 3rd party, Weekenda cannot and do not guarantee the speed or efficacy of this property's wifi connection nor do we pay any compensation for interruption of service for any reason.

Fires and Firewood: Internal wood fireplaces and outdoor fire pits only operate after the NSW Easter School Holidays up to before the NSW September School Holidays in line with NSW state fire restrictions. Please note: we will normally supply enough firewood, kindling & fire-starters for between 1-2 nights of your stay. For guests wishing to have additional fires, we suggest BYO Firewood, Kindling, and Starters which can be easily purchased from the local service stations.

No Party Policy: All reservations operate under a Strict No-Party & Non-Excessive Noise Policy as prescribed in the NSW Short-Term Letting Legislation and Local Council Laws. This property is in a Residential Area. Failure to comply can put the security bond into jeopardy and may lead to police-assisted eviction and/or extra charges being levied. We hate to have to note this but the reality is that so far this year we have had to evict 3 groups for overstacking/bad/anti-social behavior.

Extra Guests / Visitors: The number of people nominated on your booking is the maximum number of people that are allowed to be on the property at any one time, including visitors. Visitors may be requested and if approved must be approved in writing with Weekenda staff. Simply put, if Mum and Dad want to come over for a BBQ then we are likely to approve. If 10 extra people want to stop by we are unlikely to approve, which could put your booking at risk. We will always try to be reasonable with reasonable people within property constraints and House Rules.

Cameras and Noise Monitoring: There are no external security cameras at this location presently but the owner reserves the right at any time to install external cameras at their discretion. Any camera install will be in line with local regulations. A noise monitoring device is installed - fines apply to guests found to have disconnected, removed or damaged the noise device. These devices are used to monitor and maintain ours and guests responsibilities under the NSW STR Code of Conduct.

Guest Registration / ID Check : Weekenda requires every guest to complete and sign an electronic guest registration prior to arrival which will ask for photo ID i.e. a copy of your Drivers Licence or Passport. The primary booker will also be required to complete a list with the guests names and actual mobile numbers. In the event we are unable to reach the primary booker, it is very important we can get a hold of other guests. These documents will be deleted after your departure. Access Codes are only released to Registered and Verified Guests.

Critical Update: Due to an unprecedented influx of fraudulent bookings, we are forced to impose a policy that protects our clients, industry and community against those attempting to commit fraud and theft. Any booking made within 5 days of arrival is required to provide a photo of a valid credit card in the same full name of the primary guest to match the supplied identification document. Failure of these documents matching will result in the booking being cancelled and all funds processed returned to the original card assumed as stolen and thus a fraudulent transaction. We trust we have our honest and genuine customers understanding this policy is in place to protect all parties.

Insurance: As always, but ever so more due to recent times, we strongly encourage any holidaymakers to obtain a very inexpensive 3rd Party Domestic Travel Insurance Policy to cover you for all manners of matters which may restrict travel. This is particularly helpful for things like Hunter Valley Concert cancellations, Covid or Medical and Other Emergencies for which we don't provide refunds, and anything which falls under our standard Terms & Conditions irrespective of the reason. We suggest reviewing policies with 'Cover-More' or 'Travel Insurance Direct' or 'Insureandgo'

This property is managed by Weekenda, a licensed real estate. Weekenda staff are available 7 days a week to assist from your initial enquiry through to your departure and everything in between.

We look forward to having you stay with us.