Natural selection in Titirangi

34 Park Road, Titirangi, Auckland. Photo / Ted Baghurst

34 PARK RD TITIRANGI

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SIZE: Land 2.017ha, house 290sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: Interest expected above CV (2007) of $850,000. Auction May 11 (unless sold prior).

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 2.30-3.15pm.

ON THE WEB: bayleys.co.nz/160261

SCHOOL ZONES: Titirangi, Kaurilands and Green Bay primaries, Glen Eden and Green Bay intermediates, Green Bay High.

CONTACT: Jeannette Young-Smith or Richard Cadness, Bayleys, ph Jeannette 817 0147 or 027 582 6640, Richard 817 0101 or 027 451 3364.

FEATURES: Two-storey turn-of-the-century character home on large section with kauri forest, landscaped gardens, fruit trees, a pond and bush walks. City/harbour views, separate living spaces and outdoor areas. Two open fires and gas-fired hot-water radiators. Oversize garage with workshop.

Sharing a love of the outdoors, Cathy and Ian have seen some spectacular scenery on tramping trips throughout New Zealand and around the world.

But one of the shortest walks they took - 100m or so down the flat gravel driveway to 34 Park Rd - changed their lives.

The couple were living in Parnell in 2002 but saw the property advertised, were intrigued by it and came to have a look.

"We were sold before we even saw the house," says Ian. "We'd never seen anything like this before, with the kauri-lined driveway."

And once you're through the impressive stand of bush, the north-facing house sits on the brow of the ridge with wide views of the city and the Waitemata Harbour.

"Out here you have got nothing in front of you except the views and the sun, but all around behind you there are the kauri trees protecting you from the wind," says Ian.

Though the 100-year-old house has bush between it and the road, on the other side are formal gardens delineated by hedges and rock walls that follow the sloping section down, culminating in a pond at the bottom. The bush that surrounds these gardens largely looks after itself, apart from the wattles planted many years ago that Cathy has been removing and replacing with kauri, rimu, kahikatea and totara.

In the years they have been here, Cathy has removed many of the high-maintenance perennials and roses to make way for more easy-care formal gardens in keeping with the surrounding bush.

In line with that philosophy, when Cathy and Ian had the kauri weatherboard home repainted, they chose a slightly darker colour scheme to blend it in with the landscape, a characteristic of homes they had seen while hiking in the mountains of Europe.

The stone walls and patio on the north-facing side of the house overlooking the gardens also anchor the home in the landscape and lend it an air of solidity. From here, there are magical views of the city and harbour, which are shared by the dining room and living room that open on to the patio. Both these rooms have fireplaces, although the couple rarely use them as the home has a system of hot-water radiators fired by a gas boiler.

Throughout the downstairs area, there are polished matai and tawa floors, as well as other character features such as multi-paned windows and beamed ceilings.

Behind the lounge is an office with a built-in bookcase of solid matai and opposite that a bathroom with clawfoot bath. Off the large foyer are the informal dining room and kitchen, which was renovated after Cathy made Ian promise they would upgrade the "very basic kitchen" if they bought the house. Again, the couple made sure the new kitchen was in keeping with the character home. With its swamp kauri benches and solid-wood cabinetry, it is, in fact, modelled on a picture from a book about restoring an Italian country home.

Upstairs, there are three bedrooms, all with vaulted ceilings, and a bathroom. Dormer windows either side of the master bedroom create office nooks, one looking over the driveway and the other over the city and harbour.

Though their love of the outdoors drew Ian and Cathy to this home, it is now calling them to Queenstown, where they plan to buy a smaller property so they can do more tramping and travelling.