SCHOOL ZONES:
Birkenhead Primary, Northcote intermediate, college.
CONTACT:
Trish Love, Premium, 021 226 6099.
*2 off street
Even 20 years ago, Birkenhead was not what you'd consider the rural hinterland of Auckland.
Indeed the suburban point took Billy and Janet Belton by surprise when they were hunting for a country idyll back then.
"We'd sold up in Herne Bay with the idea of going rural, but it seemed to take forever to get anywhere," recalls Billy.
"We walked in here one day by chance - we weren't looking at Birkenhead - and thought that this reminded us of Herne Bay of 30 years ago, where I'd grown up.
It was a real shopping centre, you knew every shopkeeper, it was like coming back to life of 50 years ago."
"And all those trees, it felt so rural," adds Janet.
However, it was the close-up view of the sea framed by the protective canopy of pohutukawa and totara that really captivated them.
Billy loves boats, and says he has never tired of watching the action down on the water, from the regular ferries that run (the wharf is a couple of minutes' walk to the bottom of the street) to the regattas, the small fishing boats, even the odd dolphin or two.
Between the sea, the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, and the prolific bird life, it is easy to see why the couple didn't bother to look any further.
Both of the creative couple now work from home - Billy as a musician, Janet a sculptor and teacher - so enjoy the sights and sounds of the kereru and tui that use their trees as feeding grounds.
The couple show off a photo taken some time at the turn of the 20th century that shows their double bay villa as one of only three houses on the then muddy track leading to the ferry ramp.
The suburb was connected by frequent vehicle ferries to the city, transporting workers and produce from the market gardens into the city, day-trippers back to the local gardens.
By the time the Beltons bought the house, most of its original wood trims and ceiling details had been removed by earlier renovations, but they quickly saw the potential in the high ceilings and generous room sizes of the old house.
They discovered that the top floor of the house had been barged from Thames and plonked on an older house.
At some point a glass-sided kitchen had been pushed out, numerous decks wrapped around the house at both levels and stairs and paths carved into the bush down to the beach at the bottom of the garden.
Over the years the couple have stylishly polished and enhanced the house, restoring wood floors and updating with white paint. Insulation and air-conditioning keep the house comfy all year.
Three years ago the kitchen was given a makeover with smart cabinets, new stainless steel appliances and black granite countertops, but it is its breathtaking position, hovering over the view that sets it apart.
Diners at the central island look straight out to sea beyond the sunny deck, the cook is surrounded by views of sky and trees.
Billy and Janet kept the original layout of the house - a double-length formal living room on one side, a bedroom on the other, with its nicely updated bathroom.
They like that the dining room is separate, good for dinner parties with views of the sunsets over the Waitakere ranges and upper harbour.
Downstairs they completely refurbished what had been a jumble of a basement. The warm, dry level is dazzling with white carpets and paint in the three bedrooms.
Only the white bagged brick walls in the new bathroom suggest what the old space had been. With plentiful cupboards, and more storage under the house, this would be a great zone for kids or independent guests.
Two bedrooms and Billy's music room open on to the lower level decks. Sheltered from the weather, there is space for outdoor lounging. Intriguing steps lead down through the bush that the couple have restored and planted to the water.
A lower viewing deck is Janet's favourite spot for morning yoga or quiet afternoons with a book.
Tucked off to one side is a separate studio cottage with its own entrance to the street - a perfect place for her sculpture, now used as a guest room.
"This house is very nourishing to the soul," says Janet."At sunset it is really quite lovely."
But the Beltons have decided that this time they really must get themselves back on track for that move to the country, and are selling their city-side sanctuary to move closer to family in Taranaki.
