SCHOOL ZONES:
Snells Beach School, Mahurangi College.
CONTACT:
Nola Kloppers, Bayleys, 09 425 7640 or 021 425 597.
AUCTION:
October 28.
After half a lifetime on the farm, the thought of retiring to the suburbs with neighbours within earshot made Geoff and Barbara Johnston shudder.
Fifteen years ago, the couple sold their property at Karapiro, in the Waikato, and cast a wide net for their first retirement home. They were open to any location, but had a dream of a bit of space, a lot of privacy and an ocean view.
With the possession date looming on their farm, they spotted a promising waterfront property for sale about an hour's drive north of Auckland's CBD. It sat high on the Mahurangi Peninsula, a narrow arm of land jutting into the Mahurangi Harbour, home to a mixture of lifestyle properties, farmland and native bush.
With 0.4ha of reasonably flat land the property was just the right size, was sheltered from the prevailing westerly, and -- importantly -- was screened from the neighbours by mature trees. Not only did it have stunning sea views across both sides of the peninsula to the Te Kapa Inlet and Mahurangi Harbour, but also had easy access to the water, via a driveway.
"We had the sea, we had the bush, we had the birds, and all still within reach of the city," says Geoff. "We fell in love with it."
Barbara says it was the first property they seriously looked at -- and as soon as they stepped out of the car, they knew it would be the last. With expansive ocean views from almost everywhere, it felt like an island.
"It was exactly what we'd had in our minds," she says. "I joked to Geoff that he'd taken me and plonked me on a paddock most of my married life, so it was time we lived somewhere like this."
Image 1 of 5: Herald Homes
111 Ridge Road, Mahurangi East.
Buying it wasn't a difficult call. The tricky bit was deciding what to do about the house on the property, an old cottage that had been moved on to it. It had been modernised, but needed extra work to really take advantage of the location.
After living in it for a year and mulling over their options, the couple decided to start again with a blank slate, so they could create a low-maintenance home that took full advantage of the views and sun.
They ended up with a four-bedroom, three-bathroom home in schist, cedar and brick, designed so that nearly every room has sea views. At nearly 150sq m, the decking alone spans the footprint of an average home. Together with the gardens and lawns, it gives them options for outdoor living in all weathers and times of day.
Since the house was finished in 2002, the couple have spent their days walking on the peninsula, volunteering for localprojects and hosting their four children and nine grandchildren.
They concreted the driveway to the water to give them all-weather access. Within minutes they can be kayaking, fishing from a dinghy, water skiing, or en-route to a picnic on one of the many deserted islands and beaches within easy reach.
"We can be as busy or as quiet as we want to be," says Barbara.
After 15 happy years, they've decided it's time to downsize and free up more time for travelling and caravaning, so they're reluctantly putting their piece of paradise on the market.
"We've been very lucky here," says Barbara. "Not many places would offer privacy and views like this, and it's a lovely house. In lots of ways we'll be very sad to leave it."
