Drift Port Stephens | 12-14 beds | Great 4 Gathering | Riverside Coastal luxury

Welcome to Drift at Limekilns Riverfront. Wild. Designed for people who gather.

Drift sits directly on the Myall River opposite Corrie Island — part of Myall Lakes National Park — and the view from every main living space and most bedrooms is permanently protected. No rooftops. No development. Just water, national park, and sky as far as you can see.

Five minutes drive from Tea Gardens - where the ferry service operates to Nelson Bay, the stunning Tea Gardens Pub, Coles, Cafes, Bakeries, Ice-cream shops, art gallery, retail shops, local fishing spots, boat ramps and an epic surf club.

This is a rare kind of waterfront. Serene, undeveloped, and largely undiscovered — even by many locals of Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest.

Built (slowly) during Covid years by a Northern Beaches family who fell in love with this stretch of river after 15 years of holidaying in the local area,

Drift finally opened in May 2024. Every detail was designed with one thing in mind: bringing people together in one of the most quietly spectacular places in NSW.

Drift was built for groups who mean business about their time away. We welcome:

* Golf groups — Hawks Nest Golf Club is minutes away
* Lawn bowls weekends — Tea Gardens Country Club is around the corner
* Kayaking and paddleboarding crews — launch straight from the property
* Birdwatching and wildlife groups — this is one of the richest biodiversity pockets in Port Stephens
* Corporate team retreats — fast WiFi, large open plan living, river views
* Field teams, researchers and media — long stay rates available
* Triathlon and fitness weekends — 2.5km waterfront path to town, bikes provided
* Kids sports team getaways — space, fresh air and river adventures
* Milestone birthdays and girls weekends
* Family overflow — when the main house is full, Drift handles the rest beautifully
* Silver surfers and international travellers — we can curate your entire stay
* Groups are welcome at Drift. (sorry but obvious house rules apply and will be confirmed prior to your deposit)

Limekilns is a biodiversity hotspot and guests are regularly astonished by what appears without any effort:

* Eastern grey kangaroos grazing at dawn & dusk
* Echidnas wandering through the garden
* White-bellied sea eagles soaring overhead
* Ospreys breeding at the end of Bayview Road
* Black swans, pelicans, and migratory wading birds
* Tawny frogmouths. Black cockatoos
* Fruit bats (a recent and delightful new arrival)
* Rare coastal seabirds that most Australians have never seen
* If you are very lucky — and some guests are — a dingo

The property

* 4 bedrooms plus a study with a Queen size sofa bed
* 3.5 bathrooms
* 300sqm of thoughtfully designed living space across two levels
* Open-plan kitchen, dining and living area opens completely to the riverside balcony
* Full climate control throughout — cycle the ducted aircon or open every door and let the river breeze do the work.
* Two outdoor firepits
* Fast 500Mbps WiFi throughout
* Fully equipped kitchen
* Smart TVs
* Dedicated workspace in the study/5th bedroom
* All linen provided: bed linen, bath towels, beach towels, table linen
* Pets welcome (max 2 animals as per our local council regulations — please check our pet policy before you book)
* Plenty of free parking for cars, boats and even campervans directly opposite the property and in the driveway
* Access to 2 SUPS (stand up paddleboards) and 1 x Kayak, 2 x foam surfboards and 2 x boogie bords, dart board, lawn games and board games
* BYO boats (launch on the multiple boat ramps available in Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest)
* BYO Caravans are welcome they cannot the river side.... vans must stay on the street front
* Pitching a tent in the back garden (riverside) is permitted with our approval on booking

Your Host

After 15 years holidaying in Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest, we bought this block in January 2020 and spent four years building the home we always dreamed of here. We know this place deeply — the best fishing spots, the hidden swimming holes, the best breaks, the restaurants worth booking ahead, the ones where you can always walk in.

We genuinely love helping our guests get the most from their time here. On request, we can help with:

* Restaurant bookings and courtesy bus coordination
* Arrival seafood platters
* Supermarket delivery and unpacking to fridge and pantry
* Guided dingo and dolphin tours around Hawks Nest and Mungo Brush
* Curated itineraries for longer stays
* See our full Host Services menu in the listing extras or ask us when you book

A Note on Quiet Hours

Bayview Road is a quiet residential street and we take our relationship with our neighbours seriously:

* Music must be indoors with doors closed after midnight
* We are not precious about a good time — we love hosting people who love life — but we ask that you respect the street and the environment around you
* Full house rules are included in your T&C when booking Drift

Midweek Extension Deal

* Book any Friday or Saturday night and add the night before or after at 50% off
* More time, less cost. Perfect for turning a weekend into a proper escape.
* This offer applies : August, September, October, November 2026. Subject to availability and is not available with other special deals or discounts

HOST SERVICES MENU - please enquire when booking

* Fresh seafood platter on arrival — $85 (feeds 4–6) / $150 (feeds 8–12)
* Supermarket delivery and unpack to fridge and pantry — $45 service fee
* Fresh flowers — from $35
* Local wildlife and fauna tours

We are thrilled you have read this far... please message us anytime with further questions.