GUEST GUIDE

Check-in and check-out

Check-in time is usually from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Check-out time is 11:00 am. Earlier and later times can be arranged.

Check-in
When you arrive at Rock Lily, drive down to the main house on the property. We will greet you and show you to your cottage.

Check out
Before you check out from Rock Lily, please:

• bag and tie off all garbage and place it in the garbage can in the yard
• bag and tie off any dog poo and place it in the garbage can in the yard
• place any larger recycling in the recycling bin in the yard
• put any soft plastics in a bread bag on the sink and used coffee pods in the marked container in the kitchen
• put any used towels in the shower recess
• if you took keys, leave them on the dining table or drop them down to us at the main house.

After that, you’re good to go. There’s no need to lock up.

Dog-friendly accommodation

We welcome your dogs at Rock Lily. They must have up-to-date vaccinations and current worm, flea, and tick treatment.

There are fenced yards attached to each of the cottages. Dogs are also welcome inside the cottages so long as they have a bed or blanket to sit in or on. They are not permitted to be on furniture or beds at any time.

Your dog should remain on a lead when out of the yard unless they are fully socialised to other animals and people and trained to return on call. We’re in the bush and wouldn’t want them wandering off or getting hurt.

If you’re going off the property and want to leave your dog behind, we’re okay with that so long as we know ahead of time. You remain responsible for their behaviour and movements while you are away. They need to stay in the yard of your cottage during this time. If you think your dog might fret or try to escape when you’re out, please take them with you.

Garbage, recycling, water, and sewage

Rock Lily is managed in a sustainable and ecologically-sensitive way. Following a few basics for garbage, recycling, waste, and water management will help you help us.

Animal waste

Dog poo bags are provided in each cottage, as is a poo scoop. Please clear up poo daily and place it inside a double-knotted bag in the outdoor garbage bin.

Garbage and recycling

Try to produce as little waste destined for landfill as possible. We’re all about minimising our footprint on the planet where we can.

Anything you can recycle, you should place in the purple recycling bin near your laundry. Try to keep recycling dry. You can put any paper or cardboard into the recycling bin. You can usually recycle any plastics with numbers 1, 2, and 5 in the recycling bin. ABC’s War on Waste has a useful guide.

We can also try to recycle any soft plastics you can roll into a ball in your hand – bread bags, freezer bags, bubble wrap, and so on. Shake any food out of them and put those things inside a bread bag and leave it on the sink. We’ll look after them.

If you use the Nespresso machine, put the used pods in the labelled box on your sink. We recycle them in partnership with Nespresso.

Bega Valley Shire Council has a comprehensive guide on what we can recycle locally.

Organics

We have a very effective Subpod organic waste management system at the main house. It takes most organic waste and turns it into worm food and mulch for our veges. Give meat waste, dog poo, onion and garlic, seafood, dairy, and citrus a miss; they can go into the general waste. Put your organic waste in your kitchen compost bin, and we’ll ensure it goes in the Subpod.

Water

Rock Lily is sustained by 160,000 litres of rain-fed tank water, with large tanks at each cottage. The water here is special, not only because it represents life and an ecologically sustainable way to gather this precious substance, but it is pure and unadulterated. It’s quite special.

Use water wisely as sometimes we’re at the mercy of the elements in how much water we have.

Septic system

As we’re far from the nearest town, waste is managed using septic tank systems. They’re pretty robust, though there are a few basic tips you should follow as a guest:

1. Use water efficiently
The more water you conserve, the less water enters the septic system. Efficient water use improves the operation of a septic system and reduces the risk of failure.

2. Properly dispose of waste
A septic isn’t a garbage can. Don’t flush or rinse in the sink any of these items, as they can block or damage the system:

• cooking grease or oil
• non-flushable wipes, such as baby wipes or other wet wipes
• photographic solutions
• feminine hygiene products
• condoms
• dental floss
• disposable nappies
• cigarette butts
• coffee grounds
• cat litter
• paper towels
• pharmaceuticals
• household chemicals like gasoline, oil, pesticides, antifreeze, and paint or paint thinners
• anything else you shouldn’t flush or rinse down the sink

3. Don’t park on or near the drain field — see that concrete circle on the lawn outside your cottage? That’s the top of the septic tank. Don’t park or drive near there. Keep your vehicle on the gravel area near the house.

Keys

We don’t typically provide a key, but can give you one on request. We’re out of the way here, so it’s not necessary to lock your cottage, but you may choose to do so for your own peace of mind. If you lock up, please take your cottage keys with you when you are out and about.

Medical needs

We hope you don’t need medical help while you’re here, but just in case, a comprehensive first aid kit is available in the bathroom of your cottage. In the case of something more dramatic, a fuller kit and a snake bite kit is available at the main house. We also keep a specialised dog first aid kit at the house.

Doctor and dentist

If you need a doctor, Canning Street Surgery is at 22 Canning Street, Bega. You can book online or call them on +61 2 64922900. 

The Bega Dental Surgery and Laboratory is at 131 Carp Street. You can call them on +61 2 64921019.

Medical emergencies

In case of a medical emergency, please call 000 and ask for an ambulance. Please let someone know at the main house when any urgency has passed. 

South East Regional Hospital is the major nearby medical facility, about 25 minutes away and is located at 4 Virginia Drive, Bega.

Vet

Bega Veterinary Hospital is located at 9-11 Ridge Street, North Bega, just off the Princes Highway. They are available 8:00 am to 6:00 pm weekdays and 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Saturdays. You can call them on +61 2 64921837. In the case of an after hours emergency, the on-call vet can be reached at +61 408 420252.

Mobile service and internet access

We’re a fair way out of town at Rock Lily. Your mobile phone should be able to get a 4G signal, but it may be inconsistent. The cottages do not have internet access. Tethering your mobile phone should manage if you need to get online.

Self-catering

You should bring everything you need to cook or prepare during your stay. The nearest supermarket, restaurants, pubs, and takeaway food is 25 minutes away in Bega, so it’s not just a matter of popping down to the local shops if you forget something.

Breakfast hamper

Your stay includes a breakfast hamper with enough supplies to last a few days. For longer stays, we’ll restock you, so everything remains fresh. You can choose between supplies for a DIY breakfast of bacon, local eggs, and fresh bread and butter or a lighter breakfast of toast, jams, butter, muesli, and seasonal or preserved fruit. Mix it up if you’d like. We’ll contact you before you arrive to check what you’d like.

Tea, coffee, and kitchen basics

The kitchen in your cottage includes necessities such as a variety of teas, Nespresso coffee pods, milk, sugar, basic herbs and spices, and extra-virgin olive oil.

Dietary needs

If you have any special dietary requirements and have not let us know of these at the time of booking, please let us know as soon as possible so we can make sure that we cater specifically for your needs.

Smoking

For the protection of our precious environment from damage from cigarette waste and for your health, Rock Lily is a 100% non-smoking property. This includes e-cigarettes and vapes.

Staying tidy around the cottage

Your cottage includes a soft broom and Swiffer for use inside, a dustpan and broom for sweeping up any dry spills, a stiff broom for use outside, paper towel, and a full range of cleaning products.

If you feel like tidying anything during your stay, we’ll be thankful if you do.

Laundry

There’s a laundry with a washing machine and laundry liquid at the back of your cottage and a clothesline strung along your verandah should you be staying long enough to need to wash. A basket of pegs is in the laundry as is a laundry basket.

Room servicing for longer stays

Sheets and towels are changed weekly for guests staying for longer periods. If you find you need to change more often, just ask.

Staying warm in cooler weather

Being in the mountains, Rock Lily has changeable weather. Pack a rain shell, Drizabone, or other wet weather gear as we can get significant rain and soaking mountain mist.

In summer months, days and especially evenings can be cool. Pack warm socks and a hoodie. This is Australia, so of course, the weather can also be dry and hot. During winter months, from May to October, the cottages have a full supply of firewood available. There is a smaller supply during the summer.

If you’re unsure how to set and maintain a wood fire, just ask and we can give you a lesson.