Rocky Hills Retreat

The East Coast


About 15km south of Swansea, this architect-designed hideaway overlooking Oyster Bay bills itself as having mastered the 'gentle art of light'. It’s 2km up a driveway on bush acreage – no one else within miles. The design is mighty fine, the views are jaw-dropping and the fridge is deliciously stocked.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The East Coast attractions

1. Spiky Bridge

4.38 MILES

About 7km south of Swansea is the rather amazing Spiky Bridge, built by convicts in the early 1840s using thousands of local fieldstones (yes, they're…

2. All Saints Anglican Church

8.08 MILES

There are many still-functioning historic buildings in Swansea, including the 1871 All Saints Anglican Church.

3. East Coast Heritage Museum

8.19 MILES

Inside Swansea’s original schoolhouse, this engaging little museum covers Aboriginal artefacts, colonial and convict history, whaling and the plight of…

4. Bark Mill Museum

8.2 MILES

Out the back of the Bark Mill Tavern & Bakery, this museum explains the processing of black wattle bark to obtain tannin for tanning leathers. The mill…

5. Morris' General Store

8.22 MILES

A multi-storey bluestone-and-brick special, the 1838 Morris’ General Store is the biggest object in Swansea. And it's still selling stuff – these days it…

6. Waterloo Beach

8.24 MILES

The bigger of Swansea's two town beaches has more sand than the other one (Jubilee Beach), but the bay here is still fairly shallow and seaweed-prone. If…

7. Jubilee Beach

8.26 MILES

Swansea's central town beach (the smaller of two beaches here) is a fairly demure affair – shallow, with lots of seaweed. But hey, a beach is a beach if…

8. Lemana Lookout

14.15 MILES

Lookout on the Hazards Beach Track, along the western side of Freycinet National Park.