The property is big enough but I feel it need some maintenance

The house was quite dirty and needed a good clean , ie beer bottle tops in bedroom , the open fireplace was still full of ash , I don't think the rugs has been cleaned or vacuumed in year's ( I did shake them off the balcony myself) and they where filthy , not something I should have to do when paying $600 a night for a family stay. It was made very clear by Kate that we should leave the house clean when we left . We did leave it much cleaner than when we arrived ( not sure why they charge a cleaning fee) sack the cleaners would be a good idea. We did our best to clean with no vacuum cleaner , an old broom , a dustpan that was cracked and no mop. The gas bottle was nearly empty on arrival and when we contacted the management to get more gas there was no reply. There was wood for the fire place but had to borrow an axe from a house next door. These simple oversights make a big difference to a relaxing stay and a disappointing stay and this stay was disappointing. One of the showers was dripping all night resulting in water leaking onto the hall floor which was very slippery and dangerous when someone gets up to go to the toilet at night. Mould on some walls. The front door key was very soft , I can understand that another review said the key broke as it was a cheap key that bent very easily Anyway we expected a lot better when paying a premium cost per night . Nice house but it appears a simple oversight is the fact that people staying in a property expect a certain level of cleanliness especially with a cleaning fee.

We were very comfortable. The property was well equipped

Loved the size of this property - and being pet friendly was an added bonus! Very close to Smiths lake, nice and quiet, beautiful surroundings - very nice!

The house at smiths lake is awesome, big with lots of room to move around. We did experience some plumbing issues the second day we were there, but they were promptly seen to. There are definite issues with the plumbing and bathrooms however. Specifically leaking from toilets and inadequate structures in the showers to stop water going everywhere. After every shower multiple towels were needed to mop up the water, and it did continue to pool through out our 3 days there. So bring heaps of towels. The house is large and great for family gatherings, but the beds and bedding provided are old and musty, so definitely bring your own bedding and pillows. The biggest issue would be that the lake itself is not easily accessible from the house at all, we did not venture down the hill as we were not brave enough. Kate and her team were good to deal with. Overall a nice big house, but in need of a spruce up.

It's hard to give a fair review as It's a nice old house but the management was terrible. The issue was with the management that was pretty useless when the key snapped in the lock. Obviously a old key which she later admitted and not the first time. Instead of helping us she let us wait outside in the rain for 3h not taking any responsibility on top of that she was really rude and tryed to blame us even though we where several adults saying that it snapped and we didn't do anything out of the ordinary. If I was the owner I would want to be made aware of the lack of her management of the property and the guests. Then again the house was really nice and in a nice location. It has some issues with leaking water around windows but it was really heavy rain .

We loved our stay at Bowerbird House. It has an excellent layout with plenty of space, a well equipped kitchen and a relaxed atmosphere in a secluded and leafy location. We enjoyed the lovely gardens and had many coffees and chats on the deck which has filtered views of the lake. The surrounding area is beautiful with many wonderful beaches, lakes and forests to explore. A perfect location and house for a family get-together.

The home is a great layout. Areas for everyone to enjoy and the parcel of land is amazing. Filtered views of Smiths Lake and Sandbar Beach in the distance. Plenty of room to sit back and soak in all that Bowerbird had to offer. Can’t wait to stay again.

This property is exactly as advertised. It's clean, large, quiet and peaceful. It gives you the option of making the most of the activities in the area or to just sit and enjoy the peace and quiet and privacy of the property. Would definitely stay here again.

Great open planned house perfect for 2 families and cousins catching up together. Lots of space in well stocked kitchen. Open fire and air conditioning needed for winter to warm the house but once warm it was perfect. Outside lots of space for kids to play and table tennis table fun but take your own balls. Would be great if there was a few kayaks for the lake though as the hire place wasn’t open when we went to hire one. We felt relaxed and enjoyed our catch up

Lovely big house in very quiet area. Close enough to shops and conveniences when needed. Would definitely come back.

A very well presented and large property. It was a very comfort stay for 11 of us (6 adults and 5 kids). A small bushwalk will lead to a lagoon (kind of) which is a great fishing area. The lawn is great for kids playing. The house was very clean and the bathrooms and toilets are seperate which is a plus for bigger groups especially when there are more than one family. The kitchen had plenty of utensils and supply if you wish to cook. Overall a great stay over the weekend.

Couldn't fault the property. 6 of us, all aged 69-75, stayed here for 3 nights. Had a great time with lots of bushwalking within 1/2 hour drive of Bowerbird and only 1/2 hour drive to Forster. Bowerbird had everything we needed in a quiet and peaceful street. Definitely recommend staying here and we will be back maybe one day.

Great house for a group getaway. We loved the two living rooms arrangement and the whole set up of the house in general. Great lawn for kids to run around on and the table tennis table provided lots of entertainment. It was also a pleasant bush walk to the lake and a nice, quiet neighbourhood providing total privacy. Kate was fabulous in answering all our questions and very helpful in general. What a great weekend!

Great house for a group getaway. We loved the two living rooms arrangement and the whole set up of the house in general. Great lawn for kids to run around on and the table tennis table provided lots of entertainment. It was also a pleasant bush walk to the lake and a nice, quiet neighbourhood providing total privacy. Kate was fabulous in answering all our questions and very helpful in general. What a great weekend!

Very tranquil setting

Always meets all our needs. Stayed many times now and it’s good for our dogs to be familiar either place. They think it’s their sea change. Thanx again.

Property was overall pleasant. It was the little things that could be improved. Eg towels and bath mats in bathroom very old, no dishwashing liquid in container. No spare toilet rolls.

The property was great. Main bedroom mattress could do with updating otherwise comfy! The birdlife amazing, pity about the smoke but can’t help that!

One of the toilets was backed up on the last night of our stay – which happened to be a long weekend – and started to overflow, even into some of the bedrooms. The property manager was lovely and prompt in her response however we were told that both bathrooms (and draining any water) would be out of action overnight because of where the blockage was and how it was closest to the main outlet. It was mentioned that this wasn't the first time this had happened, and if that's the case, the owners should look into that. You can't keep renting a house out to large groups if the plumbing cannot handle large groups! The plumber arrived early in the morning and we stayed back to make sure the issue was resolved before the next guests arrived. He let us know that in fact the clogged toilet would not have affected anything else as everything drained in the opposite direction (towards the back of the house). Mostly these things are no ones fault but as mentioned, if this is reoccurring then perhaps the plumbing is not adequate for bookings of up to 12 people.

Brilliant

Stayed here last year and planned a return. Another restful, relaxing stay. Surfed, swam, ate BBQed fresh fish. Spectacular sunset from deck. Be careful of kookaburra it likes left over sausages. All 6 of us slept well. Used the firewood in shed to keep the potbelly going till late, late. Enjoyed new game Balderdash to have fun in the evenings. Glad to see the stylish new Moroccan styled bathrooms. No Vodaphone in the area but Telstra works.

It's easy to write negative comments and be faceless so I won't go overboard; I'd like to say that this was a 5 star venue but 3.5 stars is more realistic. It was very relaxing and Smiths Lake certainly is a sensational place to unwind. It's a gateway to the gorgeous Seal Rocks and Bluey's Beach too. I feel that the description of this house need to be adjusted however to reflect actual findings. It's a very physical walk to the lake from the house if you have Kayaks, not the suggested "moments to the water" - which is promoted so you're expecting differently and want to take Kayaks etc if you have them. The walk though is quite hard when towing water toys and I'm pretty fit. Not to mention the plague of Mozzies (which is no one's fault) that mother nature has sent there. Only bring that up because you also can't use the great balcony when your being eaten alive by them. The house is comfortable and the bathrooms nicely renovated. So overall, a little overpriced for what you get but then that's holidaying in Australia.

On the whole was good, A few problems with maintenance though, 1. Light over cooktop was not working 2. Light in fridge not working 3. If you need internet and mobile phone reception then you need to be on Telstra or Optus. Vodafone works if you get to the highest point in Smiths Lake. 4. If it is wet there are plenty of mosquitoes so you have to get indoors quick so take coils and insecticide 5. Only one tv for a large house and reception is poor if it rains. I didnt find ch10 tuned in either. 6 in the main bathroom there is no mirror over the hand basin so it is difficult to shave. There is a mirror in the secondary bathroom over the basin. 7. The frond door (around the back) can only be closed by using the deadbolt which is an annoyance. The positives are that it is very well appointed, all kitchen tools are there as well as electrical appliances and dishwasher. Some you wont discover until you have been there a few days so you will get surprises. Plenty of lounges to chill out and relax, not far to frothys coffee shop and lake where water activities can be done, Overall good for large groups but you would need to amuse yourselves by constructing your own activities

We loved this home and would stay again

Was the second time staying here, was good to see the place was freshened up after a few renovations. Comfortable, open house to get away with friends or family and in a nice quiet location. Would recommend to anyone.

Our stay at Smiths lake was better than we expected, that part of the coast this time of the year with the whales is truely magical The location we stayed at was brilliant and just far enough away from the hustle and bustle to really relax The beds were comfortable and the kitchen amenities were really tastefully renovated The fireplace is a great touch and gives you that homely feeling We will definitely return, hopefully sooner rather than later

We stayed with 5 adults and 1 toddler for 3 days - and could not have had booked a better place to chill. Lots of beautiful beaches with all kind of surf levels in short driving distance and the lake just at the bottom of the hill. The house somehow radiates a relaxing atmosphere. Only thing that would be good to know beforehand: Very weak (optus) or no (Vodafone) network coverage in the whole area (just weak temporary Vodafone pocket near the general store and the Seal Rocks lighthouse). But shutting down the phones for the stay contributed to the relaxation.

4th stay Relaxing , pets always enjoy their selves

A great house for families in a great location. House is really well equipped and has 2 large lounge areas so lots of space for everyone to relax. The huge garden has plenty of room for the kids to explore and there is a path down through the trees to the private lake front with outstanding views of the sandbar, the children loved having "their own beach". We had a great time at Bower Bird House and look forward to staying again.

Had to walk through Bush to get to lake not private as advertised. Screen doors broken. Mould on bedroom wall. Tissuses pushed in holes in bedroom walls. Lights didn't work. No light on bbq to cook of a night. The basement was a shed broken window. Gas bottle empty for bbq. It was just not what I expected.

Massive house, fitted our 10 very comfortably. Our kids loved the play room with table tennis etc, and the adults enjoyed time on the deck chilling out, or walking down to the lake. It was close to loads of other attractions, horse riding, beaches etc. We all loved it!