A group of geese bobbing on a picturesque pond heralded the perfect rural land for Helen and Tim Armitage to nurture into a spectacular Mediterranean-style estate producing olive oil.
They bought the 5ha property 15 years ago, leaving a long-held Mt Eden villa in pursuit of the rural lifestyle in which Tim had been raised.
"It had instant appeal, with the pond and the geese doing their thing," Helen says.
When they bought the property, the only building was a simple 1950s bungalow. Helen and Tim initially lived there with their two young children before relocating overseas for a couple of years. After researching options for their property, they chose olives, which they planted before their overseas sojourn. Their established grove of koroneiki, frantoio and picual olive trees produces about 700 litres of oil annually, often pressed locally and proudly bearing the name Goose Creek Olive Oil.
Helen and Tim admired a local home which reminded them of their European travels, found it was designed by architect Hamish Cameron, and commissioned him to design their solid-plaster home. It evokes the ambience of a European farmhouse, with the olive grove and the home's pale terracotta exterior accented by vine-laden pergolas.
When the elegant home was built, they extensively renovated the bungalow into a tidy 65sq m two-bedroom dwelling included in this sale. With one bathroom, deck, carport and garage, it would suit extended family or rental.
The minor dwelling is private from the main home and handy to the road. Extensive boundary planting and a curve in the long driveway gives the main property superb privacy.
The Mediterranean-style home stands proudly further back, behind the pond and an impressive expanse of lawn.
Visitors regularly comment on the home's beautiful setting. Helen says the geese add extra character to the property. "They have a bit of a runway over by the pine trees and they honk and carry on as they gear up to fly down to the pond. And when they're on the pond they're like little moving sculptures."
There's substantial parking behind the home in addition to its internal-access triple garage and double-bay shed.
Visitors are welcomed into a long hallway that runs along one of the two axes the layout is designed around. This passage has matai floorboards milled from an ancient river log.
Elegant living starts with the substantial north-facing sitting-dining room with wood-burning fire, parquet floors and French doors to the patio.
The kitchen-family-casual dining room has a pleasant outlook to the pond and beyond.
The kitchen's central island is topped with terrazzo, complemented by a stainless-steel double oven and stainless benchtops.
When the couple want to eat outside, they choose between two pergolas flanking a little garden alongside the home, woven with root-stock grapevines which don't fruit, so don't attract bees or wasps.
Downstairs includes the first of two studies, a toilet, bathroom and separate laundry.
Abundant natural light highlights carefully considered details such as radiators set into the walls.
The impressive matai-sheathed staircase ascends to a substantial landing upstairs, culminating in a second office. The sarked ceiling, finished in limewash, reinforces the European farmhouse vibe. The master suite opens to its own shuttered terrace and enjoys a great outlook. Its walk-through wardrobe leads to an en suite with twin basins atop terrazzo.
The couple wanted generous storage throughout, evident in the other three bedrooms on this level, one of which opens to its own terrace.
The family bathroom overlooks the olive grove, and there's a separate toilet.
Established gardens surround the home, ranging from those defining the parking courtyard to vegetables and flowers for picking. The property is great for entertaining and pulsed with the sound of a gypsy band to celebrate Helen's 50th.
"There's not a day that goes past that we don't really enjoy it here," Helen says.
"Even on a windy wet day there's beauty in the movement of the water in the pond."
With their children grown, the couple have decided to downsize and pursue their desire to live closer to the ocean.
Euro vision in Kumeu
House for sale at 99 Trigg Road, Kumeu. Photo / Ted Baghurst
GOOSE CREEK OLIVE OIL ESTATE 99 TRIGG RD KUMEU
6
4
5
SIZE:
Land 5ha, house 450sq m, minor dwelling 65sq m.
PRICE INDICATION:
CV $2.325 million. Auction April 13 (unless sold prior).
INSPECT:
Sunday 1-2pm, or by appointment.
SCHOOL ZONES:
Huapai District School, Massey High School.
CONTACT:
Mary Massara, Bayleys North-West Auckland, ph 417 0053 or
021 412 622.
FEATURES:
Expansive property with established olive grove, Hamish Cameron-designed European-style four-bedroom farmhouse, gardens and two-bedroom minor dwelling.
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