AUCTION:
March 5, 3pm on site (unless sold before).
AUCTION:
March 5, 3pm on site (unless sold before).
*Karekare House has four beds, and a one-bedroom flat. Winchelsea House has two beds.
** Two baths in Karekare, one in flat. One in Winchelsea.
Not only was this grand, historic Karekare property home to highly regarded children's author Dorothy Butler, it was also the place she wrote many of her books. It was where she would invite literary friends including Margaret Mahy and other authors she met on her travels to Japan and the United States.
Son Tony Butler and his seven siblings have wonderful childhood memories of swimming, surfing, fishing and exploring the bush in the Waitakere Ranges behind the wild, rich landscape of Karekare.
That landscape is etched on the memory of anyone who watched Jane Campion's Academy award-winning The Piano, filmed at Karekare in 1993.
Tony tells how his parents Dorothy (awarded an OBE in 1993 for Services to Children's Literature) and Roy came to own the property, which includes the 1895 Karekare House, the 1889 Winchelsea House and, at the time of purchase, the Karekare Store (this now belongs to one of Tony's sisters.)
"Karekare House was historically known as the Barracks because it was mainly built for the managers and single men at the sawmill here in the 1890s," says Tony.
The Butler family were on holiday at the beach in 1962, renting a bach, when they spotted a sign in the store window announcing the Karekare Store and the Barracks were for sale.
"My mother commented how much she wished we were in a position to buy it but, with eight children on my father's wage as a fitter and turner, it was never going to be possible. As luck would have it, Mum's brother Ross (who lived in the Caribbean) and her sister Valerie were visiting us that day and they saw how much our whole family wished we could buy it.
"They offered to go thirds each with an agreement that Mum and Dad could buy them out at cost. The property was on the market for less than four hours.
"Mum was also an historian -- her degree was in English and history -- and she had researched Karekare history and knew a lot about the property and its wonderful history.
"When Mum and Dad bought the property, the store was the only livable structure and we rented it out for a while and camped on the main lawn and in parts of Karekare House."
Over 20 years Dorothy and Roy improved the houses so they could be used as basic holiday accommodation.
Image 1 of 7: Creative stars such as the Finn brothers have visited here, writes Donna McIntyre
In the 1980s Dorothy and Roy sold their large family home in Birkenhead and bought a more modest house in Glenfield, freeing up finances to start extensive restorations of Karekare and Winchelsea Houses.
The restored two-bedroom Winchelsea House was rented out as a holiday cottage. At the end of the four-bedroom Karekare House, which has two living areas and an office, Dorothy created a one-bedroom flat. A garage was built on the site of the old ablutions block.
Native trees were planted on the perimeter for privacy, but the croquet, cricket and tennis court lawn was levelled and kept as a large central green.
"Once the restorations and extensions were complete in the late 80s, my mother spent as much time as possible there, my father a little less so. Three of my sisters and their families still live at Karekare Beach."
The Butler children all had different attractions to Karekare.
"For some it was definitely swimming and surfing," says Tony. "For others it was tramping and exploring the Waitakere Ranges. It is just a wonderful part of the world."
Neighbours and visitors included Margaret Mahy, C.K. Stead, Bob Harvey, Finn brothers Neil and Tim, music producer Nigel Horrocks and film crew when The Piano was being shot.
"It was very much a literary and music centre as well as being very much a centre of surfing and all sorts of beach activities," says Tony.
Now, the family has decided to sell this exceptional property.
"My sisters, who love the west coast, all have their own places and none is in a position to keep the big old house," says Tony. "The others have pursued what was my father and Uncle Ross' interests -- we have the love of sailing -- and we live on the east coast."
Tony thinks the property offers a great opportunity to be developed as a high-class lodge, harking back to its origins when people would travel by train and bullock cart to reach Karekare.
"It is an unusual spot, it has that wonderful feeling of wildness and distance from anywhere like Auckland, but it is only 45 minutes away."
