A character-filled fisherman’s cottage that earns between $10,000 and $20,000 a month is heading to auction, offering buyers the chance to secure a rare slice of Sydney waterfront with a private jetty, sandy beach and a ready-made income stream.
Set at 49 Robertson Road on the exclusive Scotland Island, the circa-1950s cottage occupies a coveted position on the island’s northern side, where waterfront holdings are prized for sun, deep water and panoramic views.
The home is a popular Airbnb, earning $10-20k in monthly revenue. Picture: realestate.com.au
It is being sold by artist Sophie Haythornthwaite, who describes it as “the tiniest little B&B on the island, but it punches above its weight.”
The numbers back that up. Operating as a holiday rental since 2019, the cottage typically earns about $550 a night, rising to around $750 over summer, and has carved out a strong niche as a romantic waterfront escape.
49 Robertson Road is one of the few remaining 1950’s beach shacks on Pittwater. Picture: realestate.com.au
Ms Haythornthwaite said it tends to outperform larger holiday homes because many guests are couples who do not want “lots of empty bedrooms and a massive house to fill”.
On Airbnb, it has become a guest favourite, attracting near-constant five-star reviews and repeat visitors drawn to the novelty of island life just beyond Sydney’s northern beaches.
Scotland Island can only be accessed by water. Picture: realestate.com.au
For buyers unfamiliar with Scotland Island, that novelty is part of the magic. Access is by ferry or water taxi from Church Point, with the home’s private jetty allowing direct arrival by boat, or a short walk from a nearby public wharf.
The character-filled cottage is flooded with natural light due to its north-facing aspect. Picture: realestate.com.au
The island remains resolutely residential, with community life centred on the hall, park and monthly pop-up cafe rather than shops or commercial strips.
“People don’t know there is an island in Sydney,” Ms Haythornthwaite said, “it feels like a holiday. It feels like something you could go to on a plane, and yet you might only be half an hour’s drive from where you live.”
Water views from every angle. Picture: realestate.com.au
The property’s appeal is not just its charm, but its rarity. On Scotland Island, what Ms Haythornthwaite describes as the "circular suburb" means position matters. Aspect helps shape value, and north-facing waterfront is especially prized - particularly when it comes with a private sandy beach and deepwater jetty, as this one does.
There is also a studio at the rear, established retaining walls, an inclinator rail, a level waterfront area and a caravan for extra space.
The home is set for auction in May. Picture: realestate.com.au
Together, those features help explain why the cottage sits in a different price bracket from the usual idea of a “shack”. Bank and automated valuations supplied by the vendor place it around the mid-$3 million mark, reflecting the value of the absolute waterfront land and boating infrastructure as much as the existing home.
Property records show the home last sold in 2023 for $1.175 million, but Ms Haythornthwaite said that does not reflect an open-market transaction. The property had long been held in a trust arrangement before being transferred into Ms Haythornthwaite’s own name. She says she actually bought the property in 2010 and this is the first time she has brought it to market.
The open plan one bedroom cottage has a modern kitchen, ensuits and living area with cozy wood fireplace. Picture: realestate.com.au
Beyond the jetty and beach, the broader lifestyle pitch is also unusually strong. Ms Haythornthwaite, who was born into Pittwater’s offshore community, describes the island as “a really tight, fun, sharing, beautiful, safe community”, with walking tracks winding up through angophoras and spotted gums, and Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park just one ferry stop away, with bushwalks, waterfalls and hidden beaches.
For Ms Haythornthwaite, who trained in Florence and works as a professional portrait artist, the sale is emotional. But after years of raising her daughter as a single mum while running the property and balancing the mortgage with her art practice, she said it is time for a new chapter.
At the rear is an additional studio/cabin with its own private deck and entertaining area. Picture: realestate.com.au
“It owns itself,” she said. “I’ve always felt like a custodian, not an owner.”
The property is scheduled for auction on Sunday 31 May. Open homes are being held on weekends, with buyers advised to catch the 11.30am ferry from Church Point.
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