Quiet Private Sustainable Harbourside Cottage - The Rangers Cottage | House in Balgowlah

Welcome to the Rangers Cottage - your quiet, sustainable, harbourside home away from home!
Set in a quiet leafy cul de sac, with a bush reserve on one side of the street and a secluded arm of Sydney Harbour just a stone's throw away, the Rangers Cottage offers a delightful home away from home. Wake up to the sound of birds in this newly refurbished, fully self-contained, sunny Cottage. The cottage has a main living room with a couch, smart TV, comfortable seating for 4, a range of books, games and toys for all ages, a dining table, and a well-equipped small but clever kitchenette, a nice comfortable space to kick back and feel at home in. The bedroom has a comfortable king bed that can also be set up as two single beds along with Air conditioning, a desk, ceiling fans, plenty of space to unpack into, a bathroom with a walk-in shower, heated towel rail and heat lamps, laundry facilities and a private outdoor courtyard that seats four and an electric bbq in summer. An ideal spot to "live like a local" when you visit for a holiday, to see friends and family or for work!
On The Harbour
The Cottage is located on the famous Manly to Spit Walkway, with Manly about a 30-minute walk away ( or five minutes by car). Picturesque Forty Baskets Beach (a sandy and safe harbour beach with an enclosed swimming area jetty, rock pools, free barbecues and swings) is an easy eight-minute walk through the bush reserve on a sealed path. A great cafe serving delicious coffee, breakfast, lunch and ice cream is a three-minute walk via a pedestrian bridge across a cascading stream. Opposite it is North Harbour Reserve, which features a popular children's play area.
The Cottage sleeps up to four guests in a king bed or this can be converted to two singles in the bedroom and a double sofa bed in the main room. With all the conveniences of home, it is family-friendly and ideal for short and medium-term stays. - But NOT suitable for pets and is strictly NO SMOKING
Facilities
Main room: comfortable L-shaped sofa, dining table(seats up to four), Smart TV with Netflix, Wi-Fi-connected stereo system, and ceiling fan.
Kitchenette: Bench top oven, induction cooking plates, microwave oven, refrigerator, dishwasher, stone bench tops, cookware, crockery, glassware, cutlery, kettle, toaster and coffee maker.
Bathroom: shower, toilet, vanity, heated towel rail, heat lamp and fan.
Laundry: Washing machine, drying rack, iron and ironing board.
Bedroom: King-size bed that can be set up as two single beds, bedside tables and lamps, wardrobe, dresser, luggage racks, air conditioning, block out blinds, floor rugs, fold down desk and chair, Wifi speed 92mps and and a ceiling fan.
Parking: Free on the street. The cottage has a private entrance from the street.
We have set up the cottage to be as sustainable as possible while keeping it comfortable for you. Some of the steps we have taken include, generating our own power on site with solar and buying renewable energy, offering you a compost bin to use - if you wish, we collect water in rainwater tanks, use environmentally friendly cleaning products and personal care items that are refilled, transport cards for you, reusable water and coffee cups.
We love welcoming guests from ALL backgrounds!
About us
We live next door and are on call to answer any of your questions and help make your stay as enjoyable as possible.
We offer a special rate for stays of a week or a month.
If your traveling with young children a travel cot, a high chair and a selection of toys can be provided. You will also find a range of books for all ages.
Getting Around
A free Manly Council operated shuttle bus ( to Manly ferry wharf and local shopping destinations) runs past the end of the street (100m). Normal buses also operate along this route including peak hour services to the Sydney CBD. The closest supermarket, along with a selection of over 20 restaurants is 10 minutes walk away.
Natural Australian Beauty
The Ranger's Cottage is so named because it was originally inhabited by the local forest ranger over 100 years ago. Because we are so close to the bush we do enjoy a wide variety of bird life in the garden so don t be surprised if you find your self being observed by the inquisitive Kookaburras or chatty Rainbow Lorikeets. On your way to the beach or cafe you may also spot Pelicans and other sea birds or shy lizards sunning themselves on the rocks.
The cottage opened in 2012. Since then we have listed with various sites. We have recently been closed for 18 months for renovations and in that time our original listing with Stayz and Home Away has finished. We did not manage to transfer to the new platform in time and so have lost our past reviews. Here are a sample of some of the reviews that I did manage to save before this happened.
"Home Away Down Under", " Well kept Secret", "the ultimate Grand Parents crash pad"
What an amazing place to stay. I loved the location, the setting, the nearby bush, the coastal walk and the lovely family beach that is a favourite of mine- Forty Baskets. The Cottage is super clean and has so many little homely touches... games, books, flowers fruit. My children and I felt very spoilt when we stayed. Felicity was there when we needed her, but the rest of the time we were very private. Highly recommended for small families and also couples, for a romantic out of the way but still central Northern Beaches getaway.
What a wonderful place to Stay- Felicity and Dave's Rangers Cottage. I loved being across the road from proper australian bush and wandering down the hill to one of my favourite Northern Beaches. We stayed here during a heat wave and I was amazed and deeply grateful that the cottage was cool and a retreat from the adventure of a 40 degree day. Felicity is charming and gracious host and there are so many touches she gives the place that make it feel like a home but even better than that a glamorous home. Highly recommended.
We enjoyed a local getaway when relatives visited from overseas. It is a short walk down a quiet path to Forty Baskets beach, where we swam each day. The cottage has a fully enclosed yard and has a range of toys and books so it is very child friendly. Felicity is a very friendly and accommodating host, and provides all the essentials for you stay. Highly recommended.
A gorgeous cottage set in a beautiful quiet leafy surburb. Great location, lovely light breakfast included, free parking, access to the free shuttle into Many and the wharf. Numerous cafes and restaurants nearby, easy access to local walks. The cottage was very clean and equipped with everything that you need including free wifi. Felicity was extremely friendly and helpful. We will definitely return!
We loved our stay at the Rangers Cottage. Very comfortable for 2 adults and 2 kids. Next to the beach, parks a ferry ride away from Sydney ( fantastic views from the ferry!!) few nice restaurants and public transport nearby ... perfect for us. The cottage is clean, cute, and peaceful. The owner, Felicity is a wonderful host, helpful and caring. A great place to stay in Manly/Sydney. Thanks for having us stay at he your place.
We have stayed at Manly many times at various locations but found the Rangers Cottage so quiet and peaceful away from the street noise etc down in Manly itself. The location is convenient to everything: restaurants, walks, Manly Ferry, as well as swimming and kayaking spots. Our hosts were friendly and welcoming without being intrusive and the cottage itself is charming. It has all of the amenities that we required and we will certainly go back for another stay.
We loved our stay at The Rangers Cottage - a charming cottage on the edge of a beautiful national park. A pleasant half an hour walk to manly or swim in one of the more local beaches. A great cafe nearby and welcoming, a friendly hostess who provided great information on the local amenities and public transport.
We spent 10 nights with our daughter and loved it. It had all the comforts of home. Our host Felicity was fantastic! She was helpful and friendly, nothing was to much trouble. Good old Kiwi hospitality! the cottage was comfortable and cosy, with everything we needed. We were delighted to find how clean and well furnished it was. We would have no hesitation in coming back to stay at the Rangers cottage and we will definitely recommend the cottage to our family and Friends - ps loved the brownies.
We loved our two days spent in the Rangers Cottage Manly. We found ourselves immersed in nature, surrounded by so many birds other than those that we are used to seeing in Europe. The cottage is really nice, clean and spacious. The kitchen is well-equipped. Nothing is missing. You feel like at home! With some brownies waiting for you? Felicity is so kind and friendly. She also helped us to make some phone calls for our trip because our English is not so perfect. I definitely recommend this lovely place. The centre of Manly is easily accessible by bus or on foot. There is a supermarket very close and that charming cafe just around the corner where you should absolutely stop by for a coffee or lunch - Sonia and Adrien - Switzerland.
It is a gem—the little house is bright and airy, beautifully decorated, has everything you need, is comfortable in every way, and is well-appointed. It has its own little garden. It is a happy place to be. I would be there tomorrow if I could! Felicity, the owner, and her family are very welcoming and tremendously helpful and live just across the garden fence should you have any queries.
Rangers Cottage is perfectly situated for beaches (Forty Baskets and Reef beach are at the end of the street/ beach path) beach walks through Sydney Harbour National Park, coffee stops at the nearby cafe (Forty Beans) easy walking to the down town Manly with all that it has to offer.

This 1 Bedroom House provides accommodation with Guest Services, Breakfast, Barbecue/Outdoor Cooking, for your convenience. This House features many amenities for guests who want to stay for a few days, a weekend or probably a longer vacation with family, friends or group. The rental House has 1 Bedroom and 1 Bathroom to make you feel right at home.

Check to see if this House has the amenities you need and a location that makes this a great choice to stay in Balgowlah. Enjoy your stay in Balgowlah at this House.