For former Wellingtonians Bert van Dijk and Rawiri Hindle, had a perception the world was in crisis which sparked a desire to future-proof their lifestyle.
It was 2013, and they began looking for a property that would allow them to provide their own fruit, vegetables, and water, and enable them to be self-sufficient in as many ways as possible.
"We started looking in the Kaipara area and we found some places we liked, including an eco-village, but our house in Wellington hadn't sold and the market was going down, so it wasn't going to work," Bert says.
"Then by sheer coincidence we saw pictures of this house. I was working in Auckland at the time so I came and had a look at it and thought, 'This is it'.
Also by sheer coincidence they then received an acceptable offer on their house, and sold and bought within a day.
Located in the Mangawhai Valley, their 2ha block is surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, and borders the Brynderwyn Reserve. Liquid ambers line the lane to the house, and it's reached via a curving driveway, which adds to its charm. A bush backdrop on three sides and a hedge on the other ensure privacy, and the gardens are pretty and easy care.
42A Brooke Lane, Mangawhai. Photo / Supplied
The modern weatherboard and iron house had been designed and built by the previous owners for themselves and their two children, so the spaces are well thought-out for family life. There are shared, open plan living spaces, a private sitting room, big bedrooms and plenty of access to outdoor living areas with bush views.
A central kitchen/dining/family room is the centrepiece. Polished concrete floors throughout this area provide a toning backdrop for the smart black kitchen with its stainless steel appliances and benches. Three teal pendant lights hang over the central island and pick up the colour of the rug and soft furnishings in the adjoining sitting room.
This area also features an inviting window seat with bi-fold windows, and bi-fold doors to the patio. The dining area adjacent to the kitchen opens up with two sets of doors to the patio, as does the large separate lounge with its open fire.
Most of the doors and windows have opening louvres to extend the indoor-outdoor flow. "We like that everything opens up to the outside," Bert says. "In Wellington we lived in turn-of-the-century houses, so this light, airy feeling is great."
Two heat pumps keep the house cosy, and all four double bedrooms — each with bi-fold doors — are carpeted. The fourth bedroom, which has its own access to the front entry, has been used as a studio/office. The master has its own ensuite and there's also a spacious, tiled family bathroom.
42A Brooke Lane, Mangawhai. Photo / Supplied
Bert and Rawiri have developed an extensive orchard and vegetable garden, and there are ornamental plantings and lawns around the house. The remainder is a mixture of native bush and pasture with a stream running through it.
They've loved their time here but the location is not ideal for Bert, a performing artist, to maximise career opportunities. "Wellington is a much more theatrical centre than Auckland," he says.
But he won't leave Mangawhai without a legacy — shortly after arriving here he set up a community choir and ran it for three years, culminating in a spot on the television programme This Town.
