Albies cottage is a small double story timber house easy walking distance to the Killiecrankie Bay. It is homely, neat, calm and quiet, and furnished in a simple and practical way. The place can be described as shabby chic rather than stainless-steel hotel-standard. There is a small upstairs bedroom with a queen bed and an upstairs study with a single bed, a double sofa-bed, a good collection of novels and cookery books, some DVDs and a DVD player [a smart TV with no live reception], and a long desk. Downstairs there is a kitchen-lounge and a small laundry and bathroom. The large corner seat in the loungeroom can double up as a spare bed. The cottage stands on a half-acre block and cannot be seen from the road. It is on a bit of a hill and is not really suited to people with mobility issues. While it possible to drive up to the cottage, we would much prefer if people parked inside the property down the hill and walked up the 50 meters or so to the house. Because of the steep stairs, the cottage is also not really suitable for small children or those who find stairs difficult to navigate. It would be ideal for people finishing a project of some sort or simply looking for a quiet holiday close to the beach.
There are basic cooking and cleaning supplies in the kitchen, good quality linen and towels, a sewing kit, a picnic basket and a first aid kit, and some tools. There is no internet but good Telstra phone reception.
Because of fire restrictions, there is no barbecue at the cottage, but a free council one five minutes' walk down the road close to the beach.
There is no shop or cafe in the village. The nearest shop is around 40 minutes' drive in Whitemark. However, it is possible to order groceries from the Walkers' supermarket in Whitemark over the phone [0363 592 010], and get them delivered on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for a small charge. While it is in theory possible to do without a car, in practice you would almost certainly need to rent one on the island. During school holidays, rental cars are difficult to book, so please plan ahead.
Car hire is available at:
Flinders Island Car Rentals
Phone: 03 6359 2168
Mobile: 0415 505 655
and
Flinders Island Cabin Park and Car Hire
Phone: 03 63592188
Mobile: 0427 592 188
Killiecrankie diamonds:
Killiecrankie is well known for Killiecrankie Diamonds, a form of topaz that can be found on a local beach. For those who would like to try their hand at prospecting, there are two knowledgeable local residents - Alan and Margaret Wheatley - who can help. They live in the Killiecrankie village, a few houses down from the cottage, on the same side of the road. Their phone is 63598560, mobile 0407598560. They hire out panning equipment, show you what the stones look like, and give you a couple of little maps with where you can find them. Alan asked that you phone them first, and work out a good time to drop in.
If you do find some Killiecrankie Diamonds - or decide to buy some - there is a local jeweler, Sandro Donati, who can make them into beautiful pieces of jewelry for you. Sandro lives at Killiecrankie, and his workshop is in the White Shack [behind the pub] in Whitemark. His mobile is 0429 383 375.
