Clifftop catch of the day

29 Island View Terrace, Cockle Bay.

29 ISLAND VIEW TCE, COCKLE BAY

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SIZE: Land 2732sq m, house approximately 230sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: CV $1.35 million. Interest above $1.5 million. Auction on site February 20 at 2pm (unless sold prior).

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 11.30am-12.15pm.

ON THE WEB: milneandco.nz/M30938

SCHOOL ZONES: Cockle Bay School, Somerville Intermediate School, Howick Intermediate, Howick College.

CONTACT: Pene Milne, Milne & Co, ph 021 919 940 or 361 0456.

FEATURES: Architecturally designed clifftop home with riparian rights, beach access and wide sea views.

When Bob Lott retired in his 50s, he and wife Nina were looking for a home where they could enjoy their golden years.

As daughter Marie Aylward explains, "They wanted to leave Papatoetoe, where they had a bit of land and a big old villa, and buy something that was a bit easier to look after."

They were looking for a coastal property and when one came up overlooking Cockle Bay, Marie's husband, Ray, a builder, was enlisted to check it out for her parents.

"He looked it over and said it would suit them right down to the ground," says Marie.

At the end of a cul-de-sac, the brick and cedar home had been built in 1958 so was almost new when Bob and Nina took it over in 1960. Designed by architect Michael Brett, who lectured at the University of Auckland, the home is angled to make the most of the views and sun on the elevated site.

The kitchen, study, sunroom, living room and two of the three bedrooms enjoy varying views of the Hauraki Gulf.

"Dad lived here for more than 50 years and he always said that it was the view that kept him alive until he was 100," says Marie. Bob passed away last year, aged 101.

Marie says the home is largely original, down to the furniture that was made for the living areas, bedrooms and study. Her father updated parts of the home - creating a sunroom on the terrace - but it looks almost identical to photos in a 1962 edition of Home & Building.

From the kitchen, which has its original Formica table and chairs, you move past the study into the dining/living area. This open-plan space has a clerestory window screened with wooden louvres that let winter sun into the back of the space but shut out summer rays. The dining area at this room's eastern end is defined by a parquet floor.

An open fire warms this room. It has wood boxes either side, accessible from outdoors, as is the ash pit.

Exposed beams highlight the high stud, while Pacific mahogany and rewarewa ply panelling give the room warmth.

Down the hall are three bedrooms and main bathroom, which features an underwater mural.

Downstairs is the garage, which has a workbench and two rooms off it - one Marie's mother used as a sewing room and the other her father used for making wine.

Although this property sits on a cliff, it has riparian rights and access to the beach. Behind the kitchen, is a laundry plus toilet and shower. From here, the back door opens to a small garden with a path leading down to the beach.

"There used to be just a track cut down to the beach but Dad would come out here and make one or two concrete steps a day until he had a path built," says Marie. "You can launch a boat at high tide down there, and Dad used to have a boathouse down there."

Marie says her father had a "tinnie" that he went fishing in, and cockling used to be great fun.

"I've got five boys and they all have such great memories of this place that they don't want me to sell."