IT is a winding, almost country town drive along McCarrs Creek Rd that brings you to the subtle front gate of the waterside wonderland at number 54.

A direct sun drenched walk (thanks to the glass canopy over the hallway) to the top floor entertainment area delivers a 180 degree water view filled with million dollar boats on a glassy bay. (insert long sigh here). This level has ample room for indoor and outdoor formal dining affairs, served up with the giant water view.

The kitchen is an example of the owner’s love affair with jarrah wood, and black granite which emphasises the design aesthetic of a home solidly constructed.

“It was a twelve month renovation,” says owner Susan Stoker, who moved into the house with her family 12 years ago, drawn to the location, and the rare chance of level entry.

They set about the task of creating this extraordinary home, combining the beautiful with the technical. With a strong involvement with the IT industry Susan has created a future proofed smart house with systems including C-BUS Smart Home, which controls everything from the curtains to the air conditioning.

“At night, before bed, you can just come over here and hit one button and all the systems are closed down although it does leave the lights on long enough for you ss98%to get to the bedroom. Then it turns those off as well,”  Susan said.ss100%

The system is ideal for this home, as there are two houses. The main home and the super bonus  boathouse. Down a set of sandstone stairs one reaches the boathouse, completely renovated and a boaties’ dream with an hydraulic winch and slipway , with a cradle capable of handling a 30ft boat. For fun, people stand on the pontoon and just look back up to the main house, where the design can be fully appreciated.

The home is full of clever design ideas  including the “drive in kitchen” – with internal garage access directly adjacent to the kitchen, (two steps to the kitchen bench) shopping has never been less stressful.

Need more de-stressing? Perhaps the second-floor cinema would suit. Tiered seating, sound proofing  plus a complete jljarrah and granite kitchen  all of which then opens to a gracious balcony overlooking a ten person spa and  the bay.

But the ultimate relaxation lies on the accommodation level, with a ntsGmasterntemain bedroom including not just a foldaway TV in the ceiling, and remote controlled curtains but close to 180 degrees of curved floor to ceiling windows facing that wonderful view.  Of course the suite is superlative and hidden away is a bar fridge, a vast wardrobe and a marble bathroom, but what cannot be hidden is the huge appeal of this bayside haven.

Prue Miller  is a journalist with News NSW and can be read in The Manly Daily