Tangaroa, one of the houses on the tour, is owned by Japanese billionaire Soichiro Fukutake and has a Hawaiian-Japanese feel. Photo / Supplied
Tangaroa, one of the houses on the tour, is owned by Japanese billionaire Soichiro Fukutake and has a Hawaiian-Japanese feel. Photo / Supplied
Variety of homes in impressive locations can be seen on one-day tour of the island.
Waiheke's most exclusive and interesting homes will be open to the public for one day next month.
The Waiheke Community Art Gallery has selected nine properties from around the island for the Wonderful Waiheke House Tour 2016.
For the first time visitors to the island will get a glimpse of houses such as Tangaroa, owned by Japanese billionaire Soichiro Fukutake; an original 1950s bach in Onetangi; and two Te Whau properties including a contemporary box house with 360 degree sea and bush views.
An Ostend property, known as an "inside out villa", which recently won a 2015 New Zealand Institute of Architects National Award, will also have its doors open for the day.
House designer Peter Were, who is a trained architect with a passion for interior design, will be at the Sea View Rd house during the tour to answer any questions about the new clifftop property.
Part of his brief was to create a unique but functional family home with good indoor/outdoor flow while working with its exposed location that overlooks Onetangi.
This is the fourth year the tour has been run and different properties are chosen each year with the view of offering a mix of different styles, vistas and gardens.
Waiheke Community Art Gallery chair Jane Parlane said this year's tour offered a snapshot of three different eras of baches including a retro 1950s bach in Onetangi, a bach built in 1997 on Pah Rd called the summer house and a modern one in Oneroa just built last decade.
"It's nice to see that contrast of baches rather than big mansions or anything like that," she said.
The Vintage Lane Box house, Waiheke. Photo / Sophie Heyworth
The properties have CVs ranging from $360,000 to $3.75 million.
Visitors will have full access to the properties, including the gardens and the interior of the homes.
Waiheke Island was recently named by Lonely Planet travel guide as the world's fifth best region to visit in 2016.
The money raised from the tour's ticket sales will go to the Waiheke Community Art Gallery, which the New York Times recommended must be visited in a quick 36-hour visit to Auckland.
Houses are open to view from 10am and the bus will meet the ferry leaving Auckland at 9am.
