Alese and Brendon Bovill had spent more than seven years looking for a country home to buy.
They had essentially given up, until they saw an article about a property in Jamberoo.
"We just fell in love with it," Mrs Bovill said.
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"It was probably a little bigger than we thought we were going to buy, but we loved it so much.
"The view, the lovely rainforest, the beautiful environment. And I knew I could do something nice with the garden."
"It was private without being isolated," Mr Bovill said. "And has magnificent views. It had so much going for it."
The property in question, 'Flametrees' is located at 174 Clover Hill Road, Jamberoo. It's now been listed for sale again, with a price guide of $7.5 million.
The four-bedroom, four-bathroom estate is situated on 10 hectares of landscaped gardens and native rainforest.
CoreLogic records show the home last sold in July 2007 for $2.5 million.
The home was built by celebrated chef, food writer and teacher Elise Pascoe and husband John Kelly.
Mrs Pascoe was well-known for teaching thousands of people the secrets of her success in the kitchen at the Elise Pascoe International Cooking School at the property in the early 2000s.
The kitchen contains high-end European appliances including Miele and Gaggenau ovens and cooktops laid out to create multiple cooking and preparation zones.
There's also benches of stainless steel, twin fridge freezers and a wealth of under bench and pantry storage cupboards.
The Bovills bought the property from them.
"It's a wonderful kitchen, just a brilliant kitchen to work in," Mrs Bovill said. "I started a cooking club eight years ago, and we cook in our kitchen, friends and I."
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The home was initially a weekender for the Bovills, who have been permanently based at Jamberoo for 14 years.
During their ownership, their work on the home has included adding the pool and poolhouse, the latter of which was designed by Mrs Bovill.
They also worked extensively on the gardens - which have been recognised in the past at the Kiama Garden Club awards - and added a walking trail up through the rainforest on the property.
The main residence is comprised of two wings bridged by a light-filled entrance foyer, snug and library.
One wing is dedicated to open plan living and dining, the second containing the four bedrooms (three with ensuite), a main bathroom, large laundry/mud room, wine storage and access to attic storage by way of a pull-down attic loft ladder.
A 15-metre solar-heated pool comes with the fully self-contained pool house - with bathroom and kitchenette.
There's also an oversized three-bay garage with workshop, a high-capacity underground water storage tank, biosystem septic and an extensive 48-panel solar array.
The couple are selling the home in order to downsize, but still want a garden to enjoy.
"It will be very hard to leave - we just love it," Mrs Bovill said.
Selling agent, Craig Higbid from South Coast Prestige Properties said there had been early interest in the "stunning" home from Sydney-based buyers.
"They love the aspect, the gardens, the orientation of the way the home has been built.
"The views are just outstanding. You're sitting at the top of the mountain really, and you're looking out to the ocean, over Jamberoo Valley.
"And you've got the citrus trees, the pool, the poolhouse... It's the whole package. There's just not much around like this.
"It's pristine inside and outside. And it's off the grid as well; it's all solar. It's a unique hideaway."
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