Stay in a beautifully restored, historic first settlers cottage built of convict-cut stone on a property first granted 200 years ago. Enjoy the solitude, the bird life and wonderful country views across the lake. Relax with a wine on the front verandah looking across the lake or lounge on the deck and catch some rays. Unique, comfortable and decorated with great taste, this entire cottage is yours with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, sitting room with stone fireplace, galley kitchen and dining area with great views. Ideal for two friendly couples heading out of the hustle and bustle of the city to breathe fresh air and recharge the batteries. Loads of exercise opportunities ... swim in the river at the village, climb the ranges behind the cottage, paddle out on the lake ... ride your mountain bike in some of the toughest trails in Oz. Or .. walk the historic Old North Road. It's all here. Please note that the drive includes 2.2km of unsealed, graded road to our driveway entrance.
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Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
About the area
St. Albans
Located in St. Albans, this holiday home is in a rural area and on the waterfront. Jubilee Vineyard Estate and Tizzana Winery are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Hawkesbury River and Dharug National Park. Swimming offers a great chance to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking, cycling and mountain biking nearby.
Is Historic Georgian Stone Built Cottage pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at Historic Georgian Stone Built Cottage?
As of 30 May, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Historic Georgian Stone Built Cottage on 8 Jun, 2026 start from S$289, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at Historic Georgian Stone Built Cottage?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Historic Georgian Stone Built Cottage?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Historic Georgian Stone Built Cottage?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Historic Georgian Stone Built Cottage located?
Situated on the waterfront, this holiday home is 15.3 mi (24.7 km) from Hawkesbury River and within 32 miles (52 km) of Marramarra National Park and Dharug National Park.
Reviews
8.6
Excellent
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
The view was beautiful. No air con like the ad said and were attacked by mozzies overnight and a nest of wasps under the outside table yesterday but overall was a good spot for a short stay
Kali
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026
Verified
6/10 Okay
Jim C.
20 Jan, 2025
Liked: Communication, location
Disliked: Cleanliness, check-in
Sandstone cottage
Nice location and a good experience to stay in a heritage cottage. Well appointed however some areas of the cottage require more attention to detail.
We booked this from the US as we needed lodging close to our daughter’s wedding venue (St Joseph’s Guesthouse). The property exceeded our expectations. Drew and Kerrie were excellent hosts and able to accommodate our request for an extra night.
Christy W.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 7 Nov, 2024
Thank you Christy. It was a pleasure having you stay at First Farm Cottage
We are so happy to hear you enjoyed your stay.
Warm regards Drew & Kerrie
Our stay at the First Farm was a truly wonderful experience. A tastefully renovated heritage property at an incredibly beautiful and peaceful location, steeped in history. Welcoming and generous hosts that were easy to communicate with. The perfect spot for a romantic weekend or family catch up (especially during the St Albans festival)!
We stayed at the cottage to attend a friend's wedding in St Albans. Overall, the property was lovely - clean, interesting and peaceful. Beware if you are over 6ft tall, the doorframes are quite low and that was an issue for my partner.
Loved the small touches, including a stocked fridge (there are no shops in St Albans) including eggs, bread and milk.
Our daughter loved seeing the kangaroos hanging outside the cottage on arrival.
Thanks for a lovely stay.
Nicole H.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024
Verified
4/10 Poor
Alison E.
16 Feb, 2025
Liked: Location
Disliked: Cleanliness, listing accuracy
Almost, But Not Quite
We picked this property for the quiet and the history of the house. The quiet it delivered in spades, and it was perfect for that. The history was not all there. The layout of the house was as expected – a house split in the middle by a hallway with two rooms either side. Proportions were correct, but the lack of the Australian Hardwood trims, doors and frames (the cleats in the stonework were there) was a bit disappointing.The cleanliness of both the house and yard were not great. The yard could do with a serious clean up, including the backyard.Maintenance was also an issue – of 10 doors that led outside, only three were functioning correctly, with one more leading to the backyard, which we didn’t need. Given that when we arrived the air conditioning, as promised on this page, was non-existent, it would have been nice to be able to open the house up to the breeze blowing in from the lake. There is no phone service, and the wifi is okay. Your best bet is to go to the local pub 2kms down the road and take your laptop! The staff at the pub are lovely, the meals are really good! In short, if you want somewhere quiet where no-one can find you and you can’t use tech then this is your place! Otherwise, I hope that the owners will stay for a few weeks and get the place back up to standard (a list of maintenance items has been sent).
Great place to get away from it all. Lovely views, very peaceful. Amazing old sandstone building, well appointed.
Unfortunately, there was a mix up in the booking and the place had been double booked (through two different online booking organisations) for the weekend which was a bit uncomfortable (people were already in there when we arrived) but it was resolved.
We advised the owner via the Stayz website that we were advised against proceeding with the booking due to flood warnings for the locality and to avoid putting a strain on local resources in the circumstances. Our message was:
Dear Drew and Kerrie
We have arrived in Sydney but have been advised that the St Albans Fire Brigade has issued major flood warnings and that all providers of tourist accommodation are required to ask current tenants to leave the area and advise future tenants not to come. Would you please confirm this to be the case for your cottage? We are very disappointed of course.
Kind regards
Elizabeth Game
Drew, the owner, subsequently rang me and I advised that we planned to rebook.
I will look for a date in February 2023.
Elizabeth G.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022
About the host
Hosted by Kerrie and Drew Mitchell
Kerrie and Drew are experienced hosts having owned another fabulous and much larger Hawksbury property - Bandusia Retreat. They have spent the last two years building and extending and have completed a full refurbishment of First Farm cottage. Always offering accommodation of the highest standard in its class, they have once again created a benchmark holiday retreat for city guests in this beautiful forgotten valley.
Why they chose this property
First Farm was one of the first properties granted along the Hawkesbury and signed off by Governor Macquarie in the land grant of 1820. John Bayley having reached the age of 21 was entitled to a land grant in the colony and searched out the most suitable property well served with water and rich soils to grow corn and potatoes for the hungry and growing colony. This is a chance to share all that history that is embodied in this heritage listed cottage with our city friends. We are excited to offer the cottage as a mid-week retreat and a romantic weekend escape.
What makes this property unique
Relaxing, clean air and wonderful natural flora and fauna. True retreat qualities to help guests relax and forget their stresses. Rejuvenating environment with more history to be experienced with the Great North Road, Settlers Arms Inne and the stories told on the headstones in our local graveyards. The lake offers a keen fishermen an opportunity to clean our some big carp or maybe lure in a bass. The birdwatcher has their hands full from first light as they wake to the many and varied sounds of the 100 or so species in our area. Pelicans, ducks, cormorants, darts, herons, white ibis and swamp hens are your companions as you paddle out on your ski onto the lake waters.