Waitoki: Old meets new

An old country dame with an updated look awaits new owners to enjoy her combination of original charm and modern features. By CEDRIC GRAY.

A beautifully restored 1880s villa, gardens full of colour and variety, and about 7ha of gently rolling pasture.

Add a "man's shed" of about 200sq m as the icing on the cake, and Rowanlea is a mix to suit almost every taste.

Rowanlea is an attractive property at 1447 Kahikatea Flat Rd, Waitoki, north of Auckland. It is within easy commuting distance of the city, and within a 15-minute drive of the Hibiscus Coast.

The four-bedroom villa retains its original charm in spite of the fact that much of its age has given way to the new. The polished kauri flooring remains a feature. So, too, are the bay windows in several rooms. The 3.2m stud and the ornate ceiling roses are still there - a stylish contrast to bifold windows and french doors, which open to verandas on two sides.

The 280sq m home was built by the Drinnan family, one of Waitoki's first European settlers, from kauri pit-sawn on the property. It has a formal entrance, which doubles as a conservatory and leads to a cosy, private courtyard. The large farmhouse kitchen boasts newly installed cupboards and fittings, and glorious views of the property through a large bifold cedar window.

A separate formal dining room is large enough to accommodate a table for 12 diners. There are two bathrooms, one with an immaculate clawfoot bath, and both have an old world look and modern fittings.

The attached garage has internal access. There is a newly refurbished laundry, two large water tanks and a security system.

The shed, or barn, was built in 1997. It has five bays, three-phase power and reinforced concrete flooring. Used by the owner for car restoration, there is room for more than 10 vehicles. The facilities include an office, separate telephone line and a separate septic tank system. There is room at the rear of the barn for farm equipment and the storage of more than 200 bales of hay.

Beautification has been a priority for successive owners of Rowanlea. A new gate, with pillars in keeping with the age of the house, leads to the 200m driveway, flanked by post-and-rail fencing and 100 liquidambars planted there years ago.

And the extensive gardens feature more than 20 camellia shrubs - some planted when the villa was built - a well-established rose garden, a gazebo surrounded by a three-tier pond and a delightful in-ground swimming pool. There are four vegetable plots in a new garden development near the barn.

The 11 well-fenced paddocks, in excellent pasture, are served by a central race for ease of stock movement. A substantial dam and a boundary stream provide ample water for the small herd of breeding cows and yearlings. There are good cattle yards and a loading ramp.

The property, which has a CV of $580,000, will be auctioned by LJ Hooker, Hibiscus Coast, on August 17. Contact Wendy Button on 09 424 2466 or 027 662 5692 for details.