Across Pittwater from Palm Beach, Currawong Beach Cottages offers a secluded holiday setting surrounded by bushland and water.
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Accessible only by water, the retreat sits at the northern tip of Pittwater on its western foreshores. Visitors arrive by boat, leaving behind the road network, and stepping into a very different kind of Sydney getaway.
Currawong has a sheltered 300-metre sandy beach and 19.7 hectares of land, most of it pristine native bushland. The property is surrounded by a national park, with the natural landscape forming much of the character of the retreat.
For Palm Beach visitors, Currawong lies across Pittwater yet offers a markedly different holiday setting. There are no roads leading directly into the property. Instead, the water provides the entrance. The water-only access gives the destination a distinct sense of separation from the city.
A holiday camp with a remarkable history
The sense of stepping back in time is closely tied to Currawong’s history. The Labor Council of NSW purchased the land in 1949 and developed it as a union workers’ holiday camp. The camp was established so workers and their families could holiday in places that had traditionally been frequented by wealthier people.
The retreat operated for 60 years as a union workers’ holiday camp, with generations of trade union members and their families using the site.
Its heritage is now formally recognised. The site is listed on the NSW State Heritage Register, with Heritage NSW identifying Currawong as an intact remaining example of a mid-20th-century, union-organised workers’ holiday camp in NSW.
The original homestead, Midholme, was built in 1917 and has been restored. The property and its buildings remain closely connected to Currawong’s long history as a workers’ holiday destination.
Cottages that keep the past alive
Blue Tongue Cottage, the former Kenny’s Cabin, is one of the original cottages. It retains its pale-blue exterior and sits close to the water, continuing the connection between the accommodation and the waterfront that has characterised the site for decades.
The accommodation has since expanded beyond the original cabins. Visitors can stay in self-catered cabins, the Caretaker’s Cottage, Lodge or Midholme, with options for couples, families and groups.
Midholme is particularly significant. The original homestead was built in 1917 and has been beautifully restored. Its four bedrooms can accommodate up to 16 people, making it suited to extended families and larger groups.
The property also offers plenty to do outdoors. Bush trails lead through the surrounding landscape, while visitors can spend time at the beach, play tennis or beach volleyball, or try the distinctive golf course. Or perhaps the better option is to do very little.
A different kind of Sydney getaway
Currawong’s setting makes the journey part of the experience. Reaching the retreat by water, rather than by road, creates a clear transition from suburban Sydney to a place where bushland, beach and heritage buildings take centre stage.
Northern Beaches described the property as a secluded holiday escape where visitors can disconnect and get close to nature.
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For Palm Beach residents and visitors, that makes Currawong an unusual neighbour. It is close enough to reach across Pittwater, yet its water-only access and preserved holiday-camp landscape give it a character all its own.
The cabins may have been built for a different era, but the basic appeal remains familiar: arrive, settle in, walk to the beach and let the day unfold at its own pace. At Currawong, the slower pace is part of the attraction.
Published 22-August-2026
