Warkworth: Home of two halves

A small home besieged by kiwifruit vines has been given a new lease of life, writes Cate Foster.

67 Perry Road, Warkworth.

Five minutes from Warkworth, tucked away down a pretty side road, is a home that nestles into its surroundings as though it has always been there. In fact, part of it has been there quite some time longer than the rest of it. When John and Diane Black bought the property 10 years ago for themselves and their four children, it was nothing like it is now.

Kiwifruit vines crawled up to the back door and it was much too small. It wasn't until that evening that both decided independently that there was a particular magic about the setting and they could improve what wasn't right. Making it perfect involved making it twice as big, but in such a way that today the old and new parts blend effortlessly together.

The long, low profile of the house conceals its actual size. All of the bedrooms are spacious with copious storage. The office is big enough for a gaggle of teenagers to play computer games together, and while the original sitting room with its adjoining kitchen and dining room, is large, the new one is positively gigantic. With its own kitchenette and direct access to the pool and outdoor living areas, it has proved a popular party venue with teenagers and adults alike.

"On test nights, this is the place to be - we've had half the neighbourhood in here at times," says Diane.

High pitched ceilings with timber sarking are dramatic in a vaguely hunting lodge sort of way; an impression reinforced by the black bear rug that greets the visitor on arrival.

"We got it off the internet," laughs Diane. "The owner had run over it in Canada, so it's not as though it was a sports kill. It's always a talking point."

The grounds are equally spacious. In front of the main house is a lawn mowed with perfect stripes, big enough to play cricket on. To one side of this, concealed behind trees are the aviaries where John houses his prized African parrots, and in front of these is a new two-bedroom cottage and a paddock for a pony.

In the gully to the rear are rambling pathways through native bush and by a stream that fringes the property.

Ill health in the family means a return to the Bay of Plenty, but Diane says she, John and their children have many wonderful memories to take with them.

Vital Statistics

SIZE: Land 8.405ha, house 290sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: $1.4 to $1.8m. Tender closes November 2.

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 1-1.45pm.

CONTACT: Rahiri Bennett, Barfoot & Thompson Warkworth, 09 425 8742 bus, 021 504 705 mob, 09 423 0050 a/h.

FEATURES: Huge family home with pool, spa and landscaped grounds. Self-contained two-bedroom cottage, aviaries and paddocks for the pony.