SCHOOL ZONES:
St Paul's, Taupaki and Waitakere schools, Massey High.
CONTACT:
Jayne McCall, Bayleys, 021 606 969.
AUCTION:
May 17.
When Dee King bought a mobile petting farm, she also needed some land for when the animals weren't on the road.
She looked to buy a lifestyle block but couldn't find what she wanted; so, decided to lease some land instead. As Murphy's Law would have it, as soon asshe signed on the dotted line, she chanced upon this 4ha block for sale at Taupaki.
"It was just one of those places that I drove up the driveway, and went boom, this is it. Just magic. We had just signed a lease for that farm and the wonderful people let us out of it."
The property had belonged to local identity Elwin Richardson, who had moved a transitional villa on to the land, and planted orchards of nashi pears, feijoas, heritage apples and citrus varieties, as well as fenced paddocks for stock.
He also had a studio for his printing press (now used by Dee's partner as a clothing design studio).
"We bought the property a little over four years ago," says Dee. "Originally it belonged to the Annandale family, and was part of a massive block in the Taupaki area.
They cut off some 10 acre blocks, maybe about 20 of them, in the early 60s and that block was bought by Elwin and he relocated that house, I think, from Devonport.
"Elwin was quite elderly by the time we bought the property, and had been sick, so we had 10 years of work to catch up on. But what he had done out there was spectacular, so it was just bringing things back to what they had been.
"I remember someone saying to me if you buy a property, particularly a rural property; don't touch anything for a year. Wait and see what things do over every season.
"That was sensible advice. Every season something new came up that you didn't even know was there."
188 Hunter Road, Taupaki. Photo / Supplied
The villa was located for the northerly aspect and the rural views. It has a return veranda at the front as well as a small deck on the eastern side.
Because the kitchen is closest to the driveway, that door is the main entrance. Beside the kitchen is a pantry and laundry.
This laundry had been a bedroom but Dee changed its use as she needed a utility room when she was running the mobile farm.
"You can imagine making up bottles of milk for newborn lambs and kid goats that we were hand-raising."
Next is the dining room and lounge, a large open plan area, with beautiful wooden floors and the woodburner. A wetback heats the water in the winter, and in summer they use a solar panel.
From the lounge is a hallway to the bathroom and the three bedrooms.
Off the main bedroom, with en suite, is a sunroom that Dee uses as an office, its french doors opening to a small deck.
188 Hunter Road, Taupaki. Photo / Supplied
"We have a table for morning coffees because we get the morning sun there with the easterly aspect.
"To the side of that, by the pool, there are steps up to the main deck, which runs the full length of the house. That brings you into the driveway, as well."
Dee says when they bought the property they weren't too sure if they would get much use out of the in-ground saltwater pool with pergola.
"But we use it constantly. And then after the first summer there, we became very popular with friends.
"We play darts there, we have a beer fridge. It gets maximum sun; first thing in the morning and last thing in the evening. It gets boiling hot there and the cabana was essential."
Dee sold the mobile farm at the start of the year and now is moving to Thames. "It is time for another adventure and I would quite like to live by the sea for a while."
She says this farmhouse is a wonderful comfortable home with lots of space.
"Our three grandkids can run, they can play hide and seek, chase and no one is tripping over each other."
And they often pop into Kumeu for a coffee fix.
"We go to the French Bakery and Boric. And we love Bethells Beach, it is about a 10-minute drive. We take the dogs and the grandkids out there.
"It is one of those fantastic wild west coast beaches where you can blow the cobwebs away."
What she especially likes about this Taupaki property is the privacy. "All I hear in the morning when I get up are people taking their horses for a walk up Cuthbert hill. You hear clip clop in the morning and you think, 'There goes rush hour'.
"This would be an ideal property for someone with kids. Our grandkids spend any spare minute out here. And being a 10-acre block it would be ideal for horses."
