Bonnie Vale

There's a place not too far from where I live that I fall in love with each time I visit. In my mind it qualifies as an island because it is a group of little seaside communities overlooking various beaches, sandbars and creeks.
Houses are everything from tiny old fisherman/holiday shacks right up to million dollar(+) mansions.
The 'island' has a perpetual holiday feel to it and in acknowledgement of this the place is peppered with B & B's and a lovely camp ground. Shops are small and quaint with handpainted signs and home-style food.
A ferry arrives on the hour dropping off locals and tourists alike, the latter like me, peering wistfully into the real-estate window. Good or bad, it is the 'island' like isolation which keeps many people from staying longer than an idyllic weekend. The one road out is long and can be treacherous, the activities for young people limited beyond the great outdoors. Highschool is a ferry and bus-ride away.
Still, I could live here very happily in a few years when my children have left home. There are lots of creative people living here, drawn to the beautiful and peaceful setting. It has a strong community feel.
I could definitely live a life by the sea, looking over the water to the 'mainland' and be blissfully glad to have escaped the bustle and highrise of suburbia.
This special island can be accessed by visiting by car or ferry, the villages of Bundeena, Bonnie Vale and Maianbar.