Imagine enjoying a tropical holiday with a whole house to yourself, a view of the Coral sea straight out of the bedroom window with blue water as far as the eye can see, a wide stretch of sandy beach close by, gentle waves lapping the sand and a coconut palm or two shimmering in the early morning breeze.

A dream? Not at all. This is a reality when Mission Beach Holidays organise a stay in one of the many rental homes under their banner.

Based at 8 Porter Promenade, Mission Beach, Mission Beach Holidays cater for people wanting just that bit extra from their tropical holiday experience; the enjoyment of a fully self-contained holiday home with emphasis on convenience and style, yet within a close proximity to that magical view of the ocean with Dunk Island highlighted to the east.

Premises on offer range from high set to low set, modest to modern in style with most right on the beach front, others within a very short walking distance. Mission Beach Holidays takes a lot of pride in offering homes that are spotless, extra well turned out, and are designed to make the visitor as comfortable as possible.

At the invitation of Vicki Wiltshire, Principal of Mission Beach Holidays, I took the opportunity to review a pair of typical homes currently on offer. Both were situated at Wongaling Beach, one of the four beaches that comprise the greater Mission Beach area. Shops, fuel, excellent dining premises and a full range of services were all close by. And the major town of Innisfail is not fair away either.

The first house visited was at 18 Koda Street Wongaling Beach. Rather aptly named Curlew (the area is abound with these quaint birds), this well maintained high set home with its front yard adjoining the beach offered car or boat accommodation and was blessed with a swimming pool.

I was impressed with the five bedroom (three air conditioned) home with its three bathrooms, large TV lounge, big front deck complete with ocean views and a large barbecue setting.

Curlew offered accommodation for up to 10 people. There are two queen bedrooms, a single bedroom, a twin bedroom plus a triple bedroom. All rooms and living areas were spotless, neatly set up with plenty of storage space and in an extremely inviting condition.

The kitchen was equipped with all modern conveniences, offered ample cooking appliances and cutlery and was both spacious and tastefully set out.

I saw Curlew, with its 10 second walk to the beach as ideal for either family use or for a group of anglers wanting to share accommodation and fishing experiences at the end of the day.

The second of the Wongaling Beach houses, Windjana, was a very special property. Located at Number 8B, Reid Road, a walk around the side of the high set property saw the feet in the sand, and the water a stone’s throw away. With absolute beach frontage this remarkable ‘pole’ style dual level air-conditioned house combined style and luxury in a tasteful manner.

A tiled lower level with a king bedroom, ensuite, and adjacent TV sitting area was joined to the upper living area via impressive timber stairs. Within the upper level, timber again impressed from the immaculate polished flooring to the large stained poles catching the eye as they reached up to the ceiling area. Timber tables also graced the interior dining and lounge areas.

Outside on the wide well set up veranda, one could sit and enjoy a cold drink while watching small craft heading towards the fishing areas of Dunk Island or the Family Group of islands to the south. All bedrooms came with ample cupboard space, vanities and associated furniture with the master upper bedroom offering an unobstructed view of the ocean via wide side opening doors.

The upstairs area offered easy access to Windjana’s swimming pool, which was rather uniquely installed well and truly above the ground.

Suited to the enjoyment of several families or perhaps a group of people wanting to share costs but participate in a luxurious beach side holiday.

Windjana’s immaculate presentation and many attractions offered three king bedrooms with their attached ensuites, plus an ultra modern kitchen handily close to the lounge with comfortable chairs, TV and, of course, those great ocean views.

The ultra modern kitchen impressed me, particularly the freezer with its several retractable drawers. Whether you might like to sneak a few pre-rigged gar or mullet in with the food is a moot point but the possibility certainly exists.

Fishing in the immediate area takes in the offshore islands for reef fish, mackerel species and trevally. There are all manner of hard pulling line burners.

The small boat owners are able to spend time in the nearby rivers, such as the Tully, Hull and Murray, all of which offer the opportunity to tangle with mangrove jack, grunter and barra in season.

And there would be nothing wrong with soaking a bait off the beach at the rear of either house to score a few pikey bream or a flathead for dinner.

Mission Beach Holidays can be contacted on (07) 4088 6699 or on the net at www.missionbeachholidays.com.au.