SCHOOL ZONES:
Waiheke and Te Huruhi primaries, Waiheke High School.
CONTACT:
Clive Lonergan, Bayleys, 0274 993 278.
Speaking of his impressive home sitting high on the hill above the gateway to Waiheke Island, Nick Johnstone says his home "loves people".
Testimony to the good times Nick and his wife Nettie have shared with family and friends at 115 Nick Johnstone Drive is a busy Mike Morgan painting depicting the poolside parties they have hosted.
And yes, that's not a typo, Nick Johnstone Drive is named after Nick, as it was he and Nettie who subdivided this part of the island.
The couple, farming stock from Waikato, tell how in 1981 Nick and his two brothers bought peninsula farmland on the island, extending from Blackpool, around the coast to Park Point and back around the coast to Matiatia.
Later Nettie and Nick sold part of the land at Church Bay Farm and bought Nick's brothers out. The couple were left with 255ha, which they re-named Church Bay Estate. In 1987 they started the staged subdivision process, selling the last of the 40 lots in 2005.
As part of that process they gave the coastal walkway above Matiatia Bay to the council, gifted 16ha above the bay to Forest and Bird Society for the public to enjoy and another 16ha of native bush, near the Mudbrick Restaurant, to Auckland City.
As well as farming and parenting, Nettie owned and managed a restaurant at Matiatia while Nick ran 40 camp sites on their land.
Nick says each of the Farm Park camp sites is where today's houses sit. "Because everyone said they could imagine living here. They were all set up for the weather and the views."
For their home they chose the original homestead, built in 1964 by previous owners, the Alexander family.
"They had all that land and picked this site," says Nick.
"Out of all the 40 sites created from the subdivision we couldn't better this site. This was the most stunning."
In 1994/95 Nick and Nettie decided to renovate and extend the original homestead, opting for a timeless design with eaves.
"It fitted the site and the landscape," says Nettie.
Image 1 of 7: A more stunning spot in which to admire the glory of the Hauraki Gulf and the skyscrapers of the city would be hard to find. Photos / Ted Baghurst
Marshall Homes designed and built the renovations, taking the bones of the house back to the framework. It is now finished in plastered brick with charcoal powder-coated aluminium on the upstairs dormers and carport, and a concrete-tiled roof. Mt Eden rock pillars add texture by the entrance and pool area. The home's code of compliance was issued in 2012.
And certainly, where first impressions count, this is a home that has been dressed to impress.
The sprawling four-bedroom home, sited to make the most of its north-facing site but sheltered from prevailing winds, was awarded the property runner-up in the 1996 Master Builders House of the Year awards for the Auckland region.
The long driveway, lined by Washington palms, sweeps up to the house where you are welcomed by a rock pillared archway and water feature entrance flanked by queen palms and the almost-sculptural forms of dragon trees.
That impressive front entrance leads into the main living areas -- the split level formal lounge has double-height windows framing the views over Matiatia Bay and gulf; the family room, kitchen (with solid granite benchtops, Miele and Bosch appliances, bifold windows and walk-in pantry), bar, dining and media room.
"We love these almost two-storey windows," says Nick.
The property offers views of Matiatia Bay and a broad scan will let you take in Noises, Barriers, Rakino, Motutapu, Rangitoto and downtown Auckland.
Living areas open through bi-folding doors to the pool, the garden and the moat with its unhoned granite steps. Also on this level are three bedrooms (all have en suites), linen room, laundry and guest bathroom.
Stairs near the kitchen lead to the single garage and double car port with internal access plus plenty more parking is available on the driveway.
Upstairs is the sumptuous master suite with two wardrobes, en suite plus a glass balustrade deck providing views over the bay and gulf.
The angles of the master bedroom's ceiling add interest to this room but always demanding utmost attention are those fabulous rural, water and city views in every direction.
Outdoors, the rural contemporary themed garden includes hedges, lavender, clivias, ferns and puka, lemon trees, flaxes, Queensland blue grasses, pony-tail palms, wisteria-laden beam framework by the tennis court plus more native plantings.
"We tried hard not to have a backyard," says Nettie, "we wanted to use the whole of the site."
But the Johnstones are selling because their permanent home is now in Auckland.
"We've done so much on the island and have had a wonderful 34 years of experiences we would never have had elsewhere," says Nettie. "
