Waimauku: A taste of the Outback

A true family home with an Aussie flavour invites new owners to enjoy comfortable, spacious living in the country. By CEDRIC GRAY.

The wide wrap-around veranda is a giveaway. This is as much Australian as Ayers Rock or Kalgoorlie - minus the flies, of course.

Visitors to Outback Aussie know the style. The house is long and lean, and the lines belie its size. There are five bedrooms, a lounge, family room and a large farmhouse kitchen. Everything about the house is big. It's a true family dwelling.

The veranda immediately catches the eye, because it is an important feature of a house tailor-made for the 1ha property in Taylor Rd, Waimauku. You can bask in the afternoon sun and enjoy lovely rural views to the north-west, or relax in the shade on the southern side where a native bush backdrop offers a pleasant option.

Like the house, designed by architect Brent Hulena and built nine years ago, the property is long and thin. There is a sealed driveway of several hundred metres, sealed parking for several cars, and the house - of about 370sq m - occupies a well-sheltered, elevated site.

A stunning feature of the landscaping is a lavender-covered slope that runs the length of the house. In front of this are the lawns and a shell petanque court protected by mature native and exotic trees. A punga colonnade is framed with climbing roses, and shell paths wind through the garden to the only paddock where there is an orchard and ornamental pond.

Poultry at present have the run of the paddock, but there is room for sheep or a couple of ponies, too. Shelter is provided by clusters of native trees, which attract a variety of bird life.

The property has been owned by Raymond and Judith Coates since 1999, and undoubtedly they regard - in typical Outback fashion - the kitchen and living areas as the hub of the house. Situated at the northern end, the rooms share french door access to the veranda with a few steps to a stunning semi-circular barbecue area, complete with a raised wood fireplace, gas barbecue and gas-fed flares for lighting at night.

The stylish kitchen has a separate pantry with plenty of bench space and storage. A woodburner provides winter warmth; it's matched by a similar appliance in the master bedroom at the end of the long, central hallway.

Most rooms have french door access to the veranda, and there is a central entrance foyer that leads to the formal lounge on one side and to the spacious office and bedrooms on the other. The master bedroom enjoys a walk-in wardrobe and en suite.

There is a central bathroom and separate toilet off the hallway, along with a large laundry, the latter with direct access to the outdoors.

The property, which goes to auction on June 8, is being marketed by Norwest Real Estate, Kumeu. Contact Kathleen Vitasovich on 412 8876 or 021 753 983 for details.