FEATURES:
Large site with ripe-for-renovation
1940s house plus separate workshop/barn just
across the road from the northern end of
Oneroa Beach and boat-ramp.
One of Waiheke Island's foremost early builders based his burgeoning business and home at this seaside Oneroa property, now being sold for the first time in nearly 70 years.
The generous land directly across the road from Oneroa Beach still bears the late Jack Payne's modest mid-century home, along with the workshop-barn which long helped house his construction business, JA Payne.
The sale of this "worst house, best street" offering amid Oneroa's dress circle of developed properties may see tools taken up on site again. Jack's son, Grant Payne, is a retired builder who sports an impressively long, 15-year-old moustache. He recognises that future development may well be on the cards.
"This home has solid bones, although Dad started building it in the 1940s and it's pretty tired. It's unusual to find a largely undeveloped seaside property of this size around this location. Directly across the road is the path to the beach, with probably the most popular boat ramp on the island.
"This property has been in our family for nearly 70 years, whereas most of the other properties around here have changed hands several times in that time."
The property is towards the northern end of Oneroa Beach, near where Korora Rd intersects Beach Parade.
In 1962, the Waiheke Resident newspaper declared "JA Payne Ltd have built Waiheke". The article explained Jack's company was the island's second-largest employer after the roading board. Grant thinks his father's company peaked at around 30 staff.
The newspaper detailed how JA Payne built homes and significant buildings that sprang up as the island evolved from a sparsely populated place with unsealed roads. These included the original Waiheke District High School, Ostend's power board building and early telephone exchange, and Oneroa's St Paul's Presbyterian Church. Jack wasn't averse to checking out his workmanship over a drink in Waiheke's first licensed pub, which he built at Onetangi.
Grant says in 1944 his father and mother, Peg, moved to the property from Auckland, where Jack's father was a notable blacksmith and farrier. Waiheke's population was about 830 then and there was little demand for Jack's former trade of furniture-making.
He took up building and started work on this native timber home soon after relocating, extending it as their family grew to four children. He bought a second, neighbouring lot and combined them in this strapping 2102sq m title.
Grant says of the house: "It's light and sunny but it hasn't been redecorated much since the mid-60s and it is well-worn.
"Dad used to have all his builders over for annual company Christmas do's, which were held in the workshop. Mum would be in the house, in the kitchen, cooking up fritters and sausage rolls to fill all their stomachs."
One of Grant's two daughters, Annabelle Burke (pictured with her son Oliver), remembers beloved Nana Peg continually doling out Oddfellows she kept in the pocket of her apron. She also helped with the business' administration.
Jack favoured the seawards dining room, often on the phone there arranging work. This is off the kitchen, which leads to a bathroom and laundry (with all facilities ripe for renovation). A lounge and three bedrooms complete the layout.
The two-storeyed timber workshop has been leased by an Italian artist and a sailmaker in recent times. It has a large open-plan loft room atop a single garage, and storage downstairs.
Grant, who lives in Surfdale with wife Libby, says the family are selling the property to realise the asset.
