Karekare: Coastal classic

A rare beachfront section held in the same family for 40 years is up for sale.

18 Watchmans Road, Karekare.

Christine Ball has some wonderful childhood memories of holidaying at Karekare but she never once stayed on the family property there.

Her father, Arthur Wrigley, bought the section at 18 Watchmans Road in 1965 but never built on it.

"We think he bought it out of sentiment because of the family connections to the area," says Christine. "We used to say, 'Dad, why did you buy it when you're not going to build a bach on it?'. But my father was stubborn; he wouldn't even talk about it.

"I know it used to annoy my mum because it was just sitting there and they were paying rates on it every year."

The family connections go back to 1908 when Christine's English grandfather, Sam Wrigley, emigrated from Oldham and found work at Karekare in the kauri logging industry.

He eventually set up home in Devonport but loved the black sand and rugged coastline so much he would take the family on holiday to the old guesthouse, Winchelsea, at Karekare.

That family tradition continued when Arthur Wrigley and wife Kathleen would take children Christine and Philip to stay at Karekare baches in the 1950s and 60s.

Christine says that in those days, there was no power until a generator was installed in the 1960s, and the favourite sport was turning on the car headlights at night and shooting possums. During the day, the kids would dam the creek and swim in it or trek over the hill to Union Bay.

When Arthur died in 2000, at the age of 78, the section at Watchmans Road passed to Christine. She has reluctantly decided to sell the land as she and husband Chris do not want to develop it themselves. "The section really needs a millon-dollar house and we're not quite in that league," she says.

The section, which has some mature pohutukawa and scrub, straddles the ridge and sits beneath the ominous-looking Watchman which dominates the northern end of the beach. It's a steep climb from the gravel road up to what would be the building site. The section has no services but has an unimpeded view looking south down the beach and west out to sea.

Christine says she has had a geotech report done on the site which is basically solid rock covered with windblown sand.

"We've been told it would be possible to develop it but it will be quite technically challenging. Of course the pohutukawas are protected but it is possible to build between them."

The site, while in the lee of the Watchman, would still have a grandstand position during those wild west coast storms, as illustrated by the trees leaning to the north-east.

"The lady next door told us it can be pretty dramatic when the storms come in," says Christine.

Despite having fond childhood memories of Karekare, Christine prefers a bit of civilisation and feels happier with her grandchildren playing on safer east cost beaches. And that's another reason she's selling.

"I have to say that Chris and I do like going to cafes and being able to pick up the paper from the dairy," Christina laughs. "And you can't do that here."

So she has given someone a rare opportunity to build a home that captures the views and the rugged grandeur of one of this country's most beautiful beaches.

Vital Statistics

SIZE: Land 1323sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: Interest expected above $800,000. Auction February 8.

INSPECT: Sun 3pm-4pm.

CONTACT: Jim or Marie Trubuhovich, Barfoot & Thompson ph 838 6059 bus 021 979 404 mob or 021 814 198 mob.

FEATURES: Ridge-top section with a views out to sea and the length of an iconic beach.