Terra de Sol | Cour en terre cuite, Swan Valley

Terra de Sol is the ground-floor apartment I kept when I built this small complex — two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a terracotta wall that turns gold in the last hour of light.

The courtyard opens off the living room: a long timber table under cover, a barbecue, and an aged iron bistro setting at the quiet end.

Guildford is over the bridge, the Swan Valley fifteen minutes on.

Ask me anything before you book — pets, an early arrival, a cot. I answer quickly.

The living room runs the width of the apartment — a deep cream sectional, a faded rug, and a terracotta wall that holds the light long after the sun has gone. Glass doors slide back so the room and the courtyard become one.

The kitchen is white and properly stocked: gas cooktop, oven, dishwasher, Nespresso, full-size fridge. The dining table is an oval timber antique with iron chairs.

Two bedrooms — a queen and a double, both with robes and ceiling fans. Two bathrooms, one with a feature wall in patterned encaustic tile, the other holding the laundry, washer and dryer.

One level, no stairs, and the carport at the door.

The courtyard
A long timber table under cover with a barbecue. At the far end, brick paving and an aged iron bistro setting. Fully fenced.

Travelling with children
A travel cot, high chair, baby bath, tableware, books and toys. Nothing to hire.

I had one of my daughters in mind when I did this one. She is a photographer, and she follows the light.

The whole apartment is yours, along with the courtyard and the undercover carport for two cars, which sits right at the front door.

There are four apartments in this building. Yours is on the ground floor, with one apartment above and The Tonic — my other apartment — sharing the wall beside you. It is a quiet, considerate building rather than a party house.

Travelling as a bigger group? Taken together the two apartments sleep eight, with four bedrooms, four bathrooms and two courtyards, and nobody is spread across two suburbs. Message me and I`ll check both calendars.

Success Hill and Bassendean stations are both about a fifteen minute walk, on the line into Perth.

I host these four places myself, so you are messaging me, not a call centre.

Your digital guide comes with the booking — arrival instructions, how everything works, and the local list: day trips, food and drink, and the places I`d go myself. Your access code comes through by message 24 hours before check-in.

After that I leave you alone unless you need me. If you do, I`m a message away and I answer quickly.

Guildford is just over the bridge, and it is the reason I love this pocket of Perth.

It is the most intact first settlement town in Western Australia — streets laid out the same way since 1829, and the only town in the state on the Register of Heritage Places. Sitting on an island between the Swan and the Helena, it is made for walking, with four self-guided heritage trails. Antique shops, heritage pubs, a bakery, and Alfred`s Kitchen for a burger. Start at the Swan Valley Visitor Centre in the 1866 courthouse.

Closer to home, the river walk from Point Reserve to Success Hill runs three to four kilometres return under old Moreton Bay figs.

Fifteen minutes by car: the Swan Valley wineries, guided kayak tours from Mandoon Estate, and Caversham Wildlife Park, where you can hand-feed the kangaroos.

Two stations are within about a fifteen minute walk — Success Hill at 1.1km and Bassendean at 1.2km — both on the line into Perth, roughly 11km away. The Transperth app has live times.

A car makes the Swan Valley easier, as the wineries are spread out. Mandoon Estate is about fourteen minutes. There are two undercover bays at the front door and free street parking.

Guildford is just over the bridge. The airport is an easy drive.

After booking you`ll receive a secure link to complete a quick online check-in — ID verification and the rental agreement. It takes a few minutes and means everything is sorted well before you arrive.

Your digital guide has the arrival instructions, parking, and how everything works. Your access code comes through by message 24 hours before check-in, once your online check-in is done.

Travelling with a pet? Let me know at booking and I`ll arrange it. A small additional fee applies.
No smoking or vaping inside. No candles or open flames.
No parties or events.
Quiet hours 10pm to 7am Monday to Saturday, and until 9am on Sundays and public holidays. Inside and out.
Only the guests on the booking. If you’d like to have people over, ask me first.
The person booking needs to be 25 or over.
Dogs are welcome with a pet fee. Please pick up after them and keep them off the furniture.
Please don’t take indoor furniture outside. A lot of the pieces here are one-offs I’ve hunted down and restored.
At Terra de Sol and The Tonic there’s an apartment directly above, so please keep noise down at night and early in the morning.
If something breaks, let me know. Things happen — I’d much rather hear it from you.