Parnell: Going back in time

Emerald Lodge, 46 Tohunga Cr, Parnell.

Sold by: Ian Griffiths, Barfoot & Thompson, ph 366 0015 bus, 021 960 231 mob.

The move from a modern Richard Priest-designed glass tree house overlooking the waters of Mission Bay to one of the oldest houses in Parnell is not one most people would have expected Rosemarie and Matthew Dunning to make. But they fell in love with the sense of history offered by Emerald Lodge (Heraldhomes' cover story on May 14), an historic 1850s house which had been in the same family for more than 55 years.

"We really loved that the families had been here for generations," recalls Rosemarie. "Now whenever we read about some event in old Auckland we think, 'Oh, people were living in our house then; we wonder if they saw it.' It's an incredible feeling."

Rosemarie, a landscape designer, was much taken by the siting of the house in its garden, and that the house was not too big, not too small, with all the rooms in just the right places. The children, Nic, 13, and Fin, 10, are excited by the old fruit trees in the garden and can't wait to re-open the original well, discovered by accident by the previous owners, the Lillies. Already Rosemarie has been to check out the spring bulbs in the garden. She's looking forward to seeing the seasonal changes in this traditional garden, a change from her dramatic natives in Mission Bay.

The family plans to live in the house un-altered for a year - Rosemarie calls it a "rite of passage" - before considering changes. They appreciate that the house was not butchered when such things were common in the 1970s and 80s, so want to understand the home's atmosphere first.

She does joke that she feels a love of home baking coming on as the house lends itself to thoughts of old-fashioned teas on the lawn in summer, or a gentle rock on the verandah taking in the views of Hobson Bay. Some long lunches are in order, as they have been for more than 150 years in this grand old lady. She is in good hands for another generation or two.