SCHOOL ZONES:
Hobsonville Point High School, Massey High School, Whenuapai Primary, with buses to various North Shore schools.
CONTACT:
Sue Noonan, Harcourts, ph 0274 752 012.
British-born homeowners Brian and Debby Axtell can trace their New Zealand connection back to a time, many years ago, when their daughter and her boyfriend left Victoria Coach Station in London, bound for an adventure in Zimbabwe.
"Somewhere along the way, she changed boyfriends and the new one was a Kiwi," explains Brian. "They got married and moved back here -- then our son found an Australian wife and ended up in Melbourne."
During many subsequent visits to the Southern Hemisphere, Brian, a now retired engineer, and Debby fell in love with Auckland and decided to put down roots here.
"I can still remember the day I saw the advert for this house in the New Zealand Herald," says Brian. "It looked absolutely perfect.
"We were going to be out of the country so we sent our daughter to the auction to bid on our behalf -- and the rest is basically history."
Now New Zealand residents, Brian and Debby have embraced life on Herald Island, where a causeway means locals no longer need to row to and from the mainland.
Their home was originally two houses, brought to the site and seamlessly knitted together, sometime in the 1970s. "Everything was pink, from the Formica to the carpet," says Debby.
The couple undertook a complete renovation and the result is an elegant, stylish dwelling with beach views and loads of room for visitors.
Inside the handsome front door lies a spacious, airy atrium. The ground floor features a well-appointed kitchen with pantry, and a relaxed, casual living and dining space with harbour views.
The separate laundry has space for a second dishwasher and fridge, something Debby appreciates as she and Brian entertain frequently.
There's a guest suite down here, which consists of a bedroom and bathroom.
"It's very handy for anyone who's staying because it's so private and self-contained," says Debby. The formal dining room has pool views and comfortably accommodates a dozen people.
"But actually we've had more than that on some occasions and it's been fine."
The main lounge is elegant and welcoming.
Image 1 of 6: The solar-heated pool, the spa, and the huge grounds will delight kids -- of all ages
On the top floor there are two double bedrooms, each with captivating views, but the best vista of all can be seen from the master bedroom, which has a generous walk-in wardrobe and en suite bathroom.
A second staircase takes you from the ground floor to a fifth bedroom, in the attic, which also has its own bathroom.
"We have one child in Auckland, one in Melbourne, one in the UK and another in France," Debby explains. "We've never quite managed to have all of them here at once, but we've come close, and there was ample space for everybody."
The grandchildren love the solar-heated pool and the spa, and enjoy running around the huge grounds.
The original bach still stands on the property but these days it's used as a workshop and a third garage.
Brian has building consent to build a jetty, and hopes the new owners will consider taking up this hard-won opportunity.
"It was quite an effort and took a while," he says.
The pair plan to stay on Herald Island -- moving to a smaller property. They travel a lot and are hoping to find something they can easily lock up and leave.
"We just love living here," says Debbie. "It's such a great community."
Annual highlights in the neighbourhood include a Christmas parade with horses, hot-rods and fire engines, and regular cricket matches on the domain.
