We live near Portland, Oregon in the USA and it prides itself on being hip and weird. Bondi Beach must be its sister city times two. As a bunch of aged birdwatchers we didn't really fit in but felt comfortable and accepted anyway. Lots of shops and good restaurants within easy walking distance, and the beach is just as close. There's even a funky little nine hole golf course close by. It's perched on a cliff that overlooks the ocean and has million dollar views.
The house worked well for five adults (one couple and three others) and was clean and well appointed. There are even cookbooks displayed in the kitchen in case you wanted to get adventurous. One of the bedrooms is in a guesthouse in the back yard and it was a nice place for the couple to sleep and be apart form the others. Be prepared for visiting bugs, though.
Believe Cat when she says that you won't be able to park inside the gate without a high clearance vehicle but you will be able to park in the driveway if your car is on the small side. We had a minivan that was simply too big to allow for pedestrians pushing baby strollers to get by. Parking on the street is for two hours only and the nearest long-term free parking is s few blocks away. Remember to always leave space between you and the next car as locals seem to have no issue with pinning you in if you don't.
Cat was great about communicating with us. She seemed available at all times, promptly answering any questions that we had.
Eric
Vancouver, WA
USA