🐋 Winter Waves & Creative Days: A Co-Working Escape to Newcastle, Australia 🇦🇺 (PRIVATE ROOM)

🙋🏻‍♀️ Hi, I'm Jessica! I'm a Creative Writing Coach, writer, and travel lover. This is one of two trips I'll be planning to Newcastle this August, one will be guided with more planned activities. I'm also planning trips to Port Douglas for the Great Barrier Reef in September and Byron Bay in October. (Check out my profile for more information about me and my other trips.) 🚨 This is an early bird 🐦 price! Book before May 15th before the price increases by about €199/$230 🚨 What's Included ✅ - 🏠 14 nights in a comfortable beach house walking distance from Bar Beach - 🛌 Private bedroom with a queen bed for each guest - 🧖🏽‍♀️ Welcome self-care kit upon arrival - 🥞 Daily self-serve breakfast with multiple options (eat when it suits you) - ☕️ Freshly brewed coffee from locally roasted beans, juices, water, and fruit available daily - 🍝 Welcome dinner from a local restaurant on the first evening - 🐬 Full-day excursion to Catherine Hill Bay with included picnic lunch - 🌊 Full-day excursion to Seal Rocks & Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse with included picnic lunch - 🌅 Late afternoon excursion to Redhead Beach for sunset views - 🚶🏼‍♀️‍➡️ Bathers Way Coastal Walk with stop at Strzelecki Lookout - 🚕 Transportation to/from Newcastle Interchange train station - 🚘 Transportation to/from all planned excursions - 🎬 3 curated film viewings with group discussions - 🧘🏽 Yoga mats available for use throughout your stay - 🧺 Access to fully equipped kitchen, BBQ facilities, washer/dryer, and free WiFi - 🅿️ Free parking (please advise in advance) - 🗒️ Curated trip planning - 👩🏻‍💻 Discounted one-on-one creative coaching sessions available throughout the stay (optional) Not Included ❌ - Flights or transport to Newcastle (train from Sydney is approximately 2.5–3 hours; I can assist with booking if needed) - Newcastle Airport transfers (available for additional fee) - Visas, travel insurance, and health insurance (travel insurace provided by JoinMyTrip for German & Austrian residents) - Lunches and dinners (aside from welcome dinner and 2 included picnic lunches) - Personal expenses - Optional add-on experiences ‼️ Limited to 2 Travelers ‼️ 🧳 This retreat is perfect for: - Writers, creatives, and remote workers seeking extended time to focus - Burnt-out professionals craving a slower pace and change of scenery - Beach lovers who want to experience Australia's stunning coastline - Solo travelers looking for a safe, curated small-group experience - Slow travelers who prefer depth over speed: one destination, two full weeks - Anyone who wants a balance of structure and freedom - Nature lovers and photography enthusiasts - Those curious about Australian wildlife and coastal culture This is an intentionally intimate retreat. With only 2 spots available, you'll enjoy a personal, flexible experience with plenty of space to create, rest, and connect with the coast. Use this as a chance to meet a fellow traveler, or invite a friend to join and fill the other spot! 👯‍♀️ ✨ Optional Add-On Activities ✨ Enhance your stay with these optional experiences. - 🐋 Whale Discovery Tour — €87/$100 per person Join a local skipper for a 2-hour coastal cruise to spot humpback whales during peak migration season. An unforgettable experience for wildlife lovers and photographers. - 🦘 Oakvale Wildlife Park Day Trip — €39/$45 per person (or €61/$70 with sandboarding) Spend an afternoon at this hands-on wildlife park featuring native Australian animals, keeper talks, and baby animal bottle feeding. Add on sandboarding at nearby Anna Bay to glide down the largest moving sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere. (Please advise at booking if adding sandboarding, as a specific time slot must be reserved.) - 🏄🏾‍♀️ Surf Lessons/Sessions — Price TBD August delivers some of the most consistent and powerful swells of the year in Newcastle, Australia, making it an ideal time for intermediate to advanced surfers. Nearby Merewether Beach is suitable for advanced surfers with it's big-wave point break and it's within walking distance or a short ride from the beach house. Let me know if you'd like help arranging surf lessons with local instructors, or board rentals. 🗓️ Please let me know as soon as possible which activities you'd like to add so I can book them while availability lasts. ✍🏼 Need help planning independent activities, excursions, or day trips? I'm happy to assist with recommendations and logistics. ** Important note: Vegan and vegetarian diets, common allergies, and religious restrictions can be accommodated for our breakfasts, group dinner, and picnic lunches. Please let me know when you book so that I can do my best to ensure the food is safe for you. If you have limitations I will check into activities that include food to see if there are suitable options for you. **

🏠 Your Newcastle Base: A Beach House Near Bar Beach 🏠 Our home for 14 nights is a comfortable 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom beach house nestled in a peaceful Newcastle neighborhood, just a short walk from Bar Beach. With easy access to the sand, local cafés, and coastal walks, it's the perfect base for two weeks of slow, creative living. The house offers everything you need for a comfortable, extended stay: - 3 bedrooms — Each guest has their own private room with a queen bed - 2 bathrooms — Shared between guests - Fully equipped kitchen — Prepare meals at your own pace - BBQ facilities — Perfect for Australian-style outdoor cooking - Comfortable living space — Relax with a book, watch TV, or work at the table - Back garden deck — Table and chairs for outdoor relaxation - Air conditioning/heating — Stay comfortable on Australian winter days - Washer and dryer — Convenient and free to use throughout your stay - Free WiFi — Work, stream, or stay connected - Free parking — Available for those driving themselves (please let me know in advance) Upon arrival, each guest will find a welcome self-care kit on their bed. This is your invitation to slow down, settle in, and begin your creative escape. The booking has been confirmed with the property management. I will send images of the property and more information after booking. 💌 Save the trip to chat with me and get your questions answered, or ask a question below! 💌 Once you book, I'll send you a detailed itinerary and a suggested packing list along with what to expect weather wise. 🐚 The Beaches & Coastal Gems We'll Explore 🐚 Newcastle and its surrounding coastline are home to some of Australia's most beautiful and underrated beaches. From wide sandy stretches to hidden coves and dramatic headlands, each stop on our itinerary offers something special. Here's where we'll be spending our time: 💫 Bar Beach Just a short walk from our beach house, Bar Beach is a beloved local favorite with golden sand, reliable waves, and a relaxed atmosphere. It's the perfect spot for morning walks, afternoon reading, or simply watching the surfers carve through the swell. You'll have easy access to this beach throughout your stay. 💫 Catherine Hill Bay A hidden gem about 30 minutes south of Newcastle, Catherine Hill Bay is one of the most photographed beaches in New South Wales. Known for its striking heritage timber jetty stretching into the sea, historic coal mining cottages dotting the hillside, and pristine crescent-shaped beach, this coastal village feels frozen in time. We'll spend a full day here exploring the beach, wandering the historic area, and enjoying a picnic lunch with the sound of the waves. 💫 Redhead Beach A true local secret, Redhead Beach offers a quieter, more secluded coastal experience. Framed by dramatic headlands and scattered with rocky outcrops, it's an ideal spot for sunset photography and peaceful afternoon exploration. We'll visit in the late afternoon to catch the golden light as the sun dips toward the horizon. 💫 Newcastle Beach Newcastle's main city beach sits right in the heart of town, surrounded by cafés, restaurants, and the vibrant energy of the city. With calm swimming conditions (when weather permits) and easy access to the coastal walk, it's perfect for an afternoon dip or a leisurely stroll. 💫 Merewether Baths One of the largest ocean baths in the Southern Hemisphere, Merewether Baths offers sweeping views of the coastline and is an iconic Newcastle landmark. Even if you don't swim, the walk to the baths is stunning, and the views from above are unforgettable. 💫 Seal Rocks & Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse About 90 minutes north of Newcastle, Seal Rocks is a tiny coastal village surrounded by pristine national park beaches and one of Australia's most picturesque lighthouses. Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse sits dramatically on a rocky headland overlooking the Pacific, with walking trails, tide pools, and endless photo opportunities. Nearby Boat Beach offers soft sand and turquoise water, while the Treachery Headland Walk rewards you with sweeping views of the rugged coastline. This full-day excursion is a highlight of the trip. 🚶🏼‍♀️‍➡️The Walks We'll Take 🚶🏾 💫 Bathers Way Coastal Walk Newcastle's famous coastal walk connects the city's best beaches via a scenic 6km trail along clifftops, sandy stretches, and ocean pools. We'll walk a section of this stunning route, stopping at Strzelecki Lookout for panoramic views of the coastline and a peaceful picnic lunch. 💫 Newcastle Memorial Walk (ANZAC Walk) This clifftop walk honors Australia's military history while offering some of the most spectacular sunset views in the region. Perched high above the ocean, you'll watch the sky turn gold and pink as the sun sinks into the Pacific, a perfect way to end the day. 💫 Treachery Headland Walk At Seal Rocks, this short but rewarding walk takes you along a dramatic headland with views stretching across untouched coastline. It's the kind of scenery that makes you stop, breathe, and remember why you came. ⏳ Book now for the best price before the spots fill up! Please see my profile for more information on the other Australia trips I'll be facilitating this year.