Sustainable Stays: Follow the Holiday Spirit to Oyster Catcher Huskisson

PHOTOS Rose Grace Studios
A belief that beauty comes from care, not excess, shapes every aspect of Oyster Catcher Huskisson: Abby Cowlishaw’s holiday home on New South Wales’ South Coast. Here, luxury lies in sea breezes, barefoot games and bookish afternoons.
Hi Abby! Tell us how Oyster Catcher Huskisson came about…

It certainly wasn’t deliberate. We had no experience and no grand plan to run a holiday home. Maybe that’s what makes Oyster Catcher a little bit different.

During COVID, as our family grew, we dreamt of a bigger house or a sea change. But the price of chasing a new lifestyle wasn’t within reach so we decided to take the leap in another way.

The key is this: it had to be forever. Oyster Catcher would become our constant – a holiday home that changes with time, but always holds space for our family.

Nothing is more special than when our eldest daughter says, “Remember when we were at the beach house?” In that moment, all the effort and struggle feels worth it. Oyster Catcher really is authentic, personal and full of memories.

How do the surroundings make Oyster Catcher unique?

There’s no pretension here; it’s a coastal home created for holidays the way they’re meant to be. We didn’t try to make it like that, it’s just what it became. It’s a place where you can wash in the outdoor shower, cook together after a long beach day and watch the sky turn pink from the deck.

Moments from Huskisson’s white-sand beaches, Oyster Catcher places you in the heart of Jervis Bay. You can wander into town for a coffee at Harley’s, discover local boutiques like Few and Far or order a tasting paddle at Jervis Bay Brewing Co. It’s close enough to enjoy everything Huskisson offers yet tucked away enough to feel like your own hideaway.

Summer here is all about open doors, sea breezes and barefoot afternoons. Winter invites long walks along the bay, watching whales breach from the shore, and slow evenings by the fire. There are books for lazy afternoons, shared spaces for laughter and cosy corners for rest.

What sustainability initiatives are you most proud of?

We believe beauty comes from care, not excess. We’ve focused on refreshing spaces rather than replacing them – it’s lighter on the planet and truer to our home. By working with what we have, we’ve kept perfectly good materials out of landfill and avoided the heavy carbon cost of manufacturing and transporting a brand-new fit-out.

In the kitchen, details like the Ode To Elma pendants, which we had made in a custom colour, bring life to the refreshed cupboards. This way, the kitchen retains its history, but it’s also inviting for holiday feasts.

We believe beauty comes from care, not excess.

Describe a day at Oyster Catcher!

Mornings begin barefoot. You wander into the kitchen, sunlight spilling across the benchtops, and brew coffee while kookaburras laugh from the gum trees. A short stroll takes you to the beach, where the sand is soft and the water is calm. Dolphins often greet early swimmers in the bay.

After rinsing sandy toes in the outdoor shower, you stay on the deck with a plate of pastries from Kraken Sourdough. The day stretches out in front of you, unhurried. Maybe you take a bike ride along the coastal path or wander into town for oysters at the Jervis Bay Shellfish Market and a long lunch overlooking the water.

In the afternoon, you curl up with a book. The kids are playing in the garden and the sea breeze drifts in through open doors.

Evening settles gently. You gather in the kitchen to cook together. Windows open, the smell of dinner mixing with salt air. On the deck, glasses clink, stories are shared and the night sky unfolds, the endless stars reminding you just how far you are from your everyday.

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What do you hope guests experience at Oyster Catcher?

Time on their terms. Here, luxury isn’t marble floors or chandeliers – it’s time well spent. Oyster Catcher is for those who value authenticity over excess, and connection over perfection. It’s a home that holds space for the kind of holiday you’ll remember long after you’ve left.


♡ This is a Better Together Peppermint Partnership, where we team up with brands we love. This story was created with support from our friends at Oyster Catcher – a special three-bedroom architecturally-designed holiday home in Jervis Bay, where time stands still.

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