Cornwallis Beach: Sands of time

A waterfront property holds a century's worth of family memories.

124 Cornwallis Rd, Cornwallis Beach.

About 100 years ago Sealey Marks used to sail the Manukau on a cutter delivering supplies to people who lived in its bays. He would pull into Cornwallis beach to take on water, and grew attached to a piece of land on its waterfront. He rented an old bach there for a few years, then persuaded his two brothers to buy it with him.

As children and grandchildren appeared, the brothers added an old train carriage and a tram car to the property to increase its accommodation. In the 1960s, Sealey's son Percival replaced the ramshackle buildings with a smart little fibrolite bach, with a sleepout at the back.

Percival's son Gavin Marks remembers idyllic summers staying at the bach, one of only three on the waterfront at Cornwallis.
``Dad knew the harbour like the back of his hand, and always surprised us with seafood of some kind - crayfish, mussels, snapper, pipis, mullet, flounder and oysters,'' recalls Gavin.

``He was a commercial gardener in Mangere while I was growing up, and grew veges out here too. He was very generous with his produce, preserves, tomato sauce and muffins.''

For the past three years Gavin's niece Huia has lived at the two-bedroom bach with her partner and two daughters, Tibet, 7, and Milla, 2.
``Its been awesome; I've loved it,'' says Huia. ``Seeing the sun rise from your bed is pretty great. We've seen dolphins and orcas - one day a seal came waddling up into the shed. And the birdlife is fantastic because we're surrounded by regional park. I go bushwalking with the kids just about every day. The girls love the beach - they were still swimming just a few weekends ago.''

Cargo ships, fishing boats and pleasure craft add to the scenery, which changes according to the weather and tides.

The bach faces east, so gets brilliant morning sun. Trees from the park next door, and the big yellow pohutukawa that Percival planted as a sapling many years ago, provide shade in the afternoon. If you want sun later in the day you can either walk down to the sand, or head to the barbecue area at the back of the bach.

Huia, Gavin and their extended family have needed only dinghies to catch fish from the harbour, and the Cornwallis wharf is 100m away if you want to toss a line into the water.
``One of my uncles could tell by the ripples on the water if the fish were in, and would order us out in the dinghies,'' says Gavin.
``My great grandfather used to have three stakes planted in the sand down from the high tide line with a wire between them. He'd hang a line from the wire between each stake, and in the morning there would always be three fish waiting to be picked up.''

Percival and Gavin's mother May have now died, and the estate is now so fragmented that the family has decided it is time to sell.
``We will be sad to see it go,'' says Gavin, looking at the hibiscus he planted when his two sons were born 32 and 35 years ago. They still add a brilliant splash of colour to the front terrace.

It is the end of a 100-year era for the Marks family, and the start of a new one for the next people to own this waterfront treasure.

VITAL STATISTICS

BEDROOMS: 3

BATHROOMS: 1

GARAGE: 1+

SIZE: Land 1760sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: CV (2004) $375,000, but interest indicates a higher market value. Non-waterfront properties in Cornwallis fetch between $340,000 and $710,000. Auction June 14.

INSPECT: Sunday 1.30-2.30.

ON THE WEB: www.bayleys.co.nz/171285

CONTACT: Victoria Turner, Bayleys Titirangi, ph 027 2244 892.

FEATURES: Tidy 1960s fibrolite bach and sleepout with beautiful views of the Manukau, right on the beach (one of only three waterfront properties here). Boat ramp, double garage near beach for boat storage. Five minutes from Huia shops, 15 minutes from Titirangi. On the school bus route to Laingholm Primary.