Village people

The South Coast is home to 47 separate villages, each with a distinct personality. JOANNA HUNKIN visits Shoalhaven Heads, where a new property is celebrating the town’s individual charm.

- JOANNA HUNKIN

Stylish, sophisticated and discreet. That was the brief when it came to designing Bangalay Luxury Villas in Shoalhaven Heads, on a site nestled between Seven Mile Beach and the native Bangalay Sand Forest, from which it takes its name.

The coastal forest, which borders the white sand beach, is teeming with native flora, including banksia, lilly pilly and, of course, bangalay trees – a type of eucalypt. It’s a protected habitat that is unique to the South Coast and just one of the things that makes the location so special, says owner and developer Michelle Bishop, who first eyed the site in 2005 before eventually opening the luxury accommodation in 2018.

Originally a holiday camp for the Australian Postal Workers’ Union, the seaside cottages had been abandoned for decades and left to rot. “It was completely derelict and a real eyesore,” recalls Bishop, who developed the project alongside her builder husband Tom, winning a Master Builder award in the process.

Each of the 16 private villas feature fully equipped kitchens, including an oven and dishwasher, along with open-plan living and dining areas, separate from the bedrooms. They are sleek, spacious and understated, inviting you to relax in a way that more formal hotels and resorts rarely do.

Keeping things informal was essential for Bishop, who grew up in the area and wanted to stay true to Shoalhaven Heads’ laid-back spirit. “We wanted to celebrate what this community has to offer,” she explains. “It’s very down to earth. Growing up here, that’s something I really appreciate.”