Found a fine feathered nest in Matakana

230 Whitmore Road, Buckleton Beach, Matakana. Photo / Ted Baghurst

230 WHITMORE RD MATAKANA

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SIZE: Land 5.08ha, house 493sq m (approx), cottage 96sq m (approx)

PRICE INDICATION: CV $2.7 million. Interest expected above $3 million. Tender closes September 1.

INSPECT: By appointment.

ON THE WEB: kellands.co.nz/37894

SCHOOL ZONES: Matakana School, Mahurangi College.

CONTACT: Fiona Mackenzie, ph 021 968 880, or Rob Cochrane, ph 021 955 888, Kellands.

FEATURES: A lifestyle property with broad sea and rural views and a sandy beach with riparian rights. The large main house is on three levels, with a large master suite and living area at the top, three guest rooms and a living room downstairs, and the main informal and formal living areas in between. The two-bedroom cottage has been recently renovated and has a single garage.

A tiny square of newsprint sealed the fate of Jane and Brendan Bourke. The couple were living on the North Shore and idly dreaming of semi-retirement in the country when they saw a small real estate advertisement. The text went something like this: "Country property, lovely views, beachfront, with riparian rights."

That was on a Tuesday evening, five years ago - by the end of that week the property was theirs. "It was a real spur-of-the-moment decision," says Jane.

"But it had a real 'wow' factor. It had everything we liked: we wanted some peace and quiet, we were slowing down, and we like the country life. Living in the country was something we always wanted to do but, until then, work had dictated where we lived."

On the property was a large, almost-new house and a separate cottage, with multiple options for indoor and outdoor living spaces, so their children (and, later, their grandson) could have their own space when they stayed. It had a 450m stretch of sandy beach, a heated pool, an orchard of fruit trees, an enormous vege garden and a chook house. It had the then-fledgling Matakana Village and Omaha Beach down the road, but wasn't far from the city. An orchestra of visiting native birds harmonised with the gentle soundtrack of the waves below.

But it was the outlook that really sold the house. Pretty much every window - and many of them are floor-to-ceiling - frames a "spectacular" view, says Jane. The kitchen and main informal living area are surrounded by windows - as are the master suite directly above it and the three guest bedrooms directly below. To one side is the sea, with Kawau Island in the foreground and the Coromandel visible in the distance. Out front is the calm Baddeleys Beach. To the other side are rolling hills. And everywhere are mature trees, mostly natives.

The view did require a bit of work. After the couple moved in they embarked on a judicious reshuffling of foliage. The result, says Jane, was fantastic. "You get the sea on one side and this gorgeous countryside on the other. No matter where you look there's a view."

And then the rural dream promptly began. With decks on both sides of the house, Jane and Brendan can follow the sun all day - breakfast on the deck overlooking the sea, lunch in the north-facing sun room, a bit of sunbathing on the enormous deck off the master suite and an afternoon drink on the deck off the sun room. In winter they can retreat with friends to the dining room, warmed by an open fire, and in summer they have barbecues on their beach.

"There is nothing nicer than having your own nice piece of beachfront," says Jane. "We absolutely love it here."

Evidently the native birds do, too. Large kereru glide across the front of the house, from a stand of kauri to a fat puriri. In summer, moreporks snuggle together on the railings to the north, occasionally diving for puriri moths. And tui consider the property their own. A pod of whales regularly visits Buckleton Beach below. It's this wildlife and views that Jane will miss the most as she and Brendan prepare to downsize.

"There are not many properties around here that have a view like this, let alone their own beach. We're looking to move now to something smaller, but we want to stay in this location because we really love it."