Shellwater at Sellicks Beach | Holiday House Review

This family friendly holiday house at Sellicks Beach is the perfect base to switch off, soak up quality time and make memories to last a lifetime.

Review by Angelica-Hazel Toutounji

Have you ever stumbled upon a place that instantly sparks joy and has you smiling even before you walk through the door? This is how we felt arriving at Shellwater at Sellicks Beach. Perhaps it’s the pastel blue hues, the wrap around veranda or the swing that caught our eye, whatever it was, our stay at Shellwater was incredible from start to finish and we are already dreaming about a return visit.

Located 200 metres from stunning Sellicks Beach, this 1960’s beach shack house has coastal charm and modern elements that provide comfort and make the home feel fresh. Shellwater can accommodate up to ten guests – there are two bedrooms with a queen bed set up in each and a fantastic kid’s room with three bunk beds and a whole corner of toys. It’s a great space for a large family or even for two families to spend quality time together.

Some of the other features that we loved were the outdoor and indoor games, the tree swing, secret garden area, firepit, BBQ and the fact that the house is fully fenced and so spacious. We spent our time enjoying coffee on the veranda, chatting and watching the kids take turns on the swing, playing backyard cricket, searching for snails and doing cartwheels on the lawn. We brought some fairy wings and bubbles with us and the girls spent hours pretending to be fairies and dancing through the bubbles. It was really special and a moment we will remember for years to come.

Inside the house everything feels so well thought out, the design is bright and fun but also warm and cosy and the kind of place where you want to hang out. There is a television and an indoor fire which was great for cosy nights watching movies. We also loved cooking in the kitchen and were pleasantly surprised to see how well stocked the place is with olive oil, salt and pepper, coffee pods and every form of crockery and pan that you could need.

We visited the Willunga Farmers Market on the Saturday morning and picked up some fresh produce to make pasta and salad for dinner. We sat together as a family with candles lighting up the space and music to add to the vibe. We normally like to dine out when on holidays but Shellwater was so inviting we found ourselves drawn to spend time in and make the most of the stay.

The beds were really comfortable and we loved that they provided nice shampoo and conditioner plus a washing machine if you want to ease the post-holiday washing burden.  Other notable elements for families include children’s tableware, a standalone high chair, a cot, first aid kid, fireplace screens and black out blinds. This home is so well set up for families, we really were blown away.

During out stay we also visited Pizzateca in Mclaren Vale and had the most delicious meal and gelato dessert! We didn’t get a chance to stop by on this visit but we also love going to Aldinga Biplanes Cafe for a coffee and to watch the Aldinga airfield action.

If we could sum up our stay at Shellwater in one word, it would have to be “sensational”. We loved the cute design of the house, we loved the location being so close to the beach, we loved all of the facilities and you couldn’t ask for a more attentive and welcoming host in Belinda. Belinda was so helpful before, during and after our stay and we liked that there was a welcome booklet with recommendations and clear guidelines on house rules and how to check out when going home.

All in all, we can’t recommend Shellwater more. If you are in search of a family friendly holiday in a seaside town, Shellwater provides all you are after and more!

What we like about it

• So many family friendly touches, the house is so well equipped you barely need to leave and won’t want to either!

Things to Consider:

• We recommend bringing some food with you so that you can cook and spend time on the beautiful property

Our favourite nearby coffee spots/cafes:

• There are coffee pods provided but we also grabbed a good coffee from the Willunga Farmers Markets

You can book your stay via airbnb

You can follow Shellwater at Sellicks Beach on Instagram and Facebook.

At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.

Play & Go received a complimentary stay for review. All photos are by Play & Go (2026).

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