Irene and Dick Teklenburg had been coming to Whitianga with their children for some time before they bought this section in 1973 at 155 Buffalo Beach Rd.
"My husband is a great lover of fishing and diving, and has always had a boat," explains Irene. "He would be over here to pursue that sport and I would do what mothers do, and sit and watch the children.
The most sheltered spot for the kids to play for a day, instead of out on the exposed open beach, was by the Tarapatiki stream. And then we would go back to our camp site."
When the Te Kauwhata couple decided to buy a holiday place, they looked at this north-facing property beside the stream and close to the beachfront but initially ruled it out as it was covered in blackberry, wattle and scrub.
"But then we thought: that's the stream the children play in all the time, and we came back. And we bought it. My husband has chipped away around the edges and now it is lawn out to the stream, just lovely," says Irene.
In the early years the family stayed in an old camping ground store the previous owner had shifted on to the land.
"Our three children grew up through the little bach," says Irene, adding that they have also pitched tents and had caravans on the large section.
In 1991 the Teklenburgs decided to build a new holiday home, choosing New Zealand Log Homes from Rotorua for the build.
"The house is Corsican pine which is a very slow-growing pine and has a lot of character marks on the logs," says Irene. "The interior walls are redwood and the kitchen is built with kauri benches and rimu doors."
The timber home stays warm in winter and cool in summer.
The couple also have a wood fire with the flue going through the floor to the upstairs, heating this area.
On the ground floor they have open plan living with kitchen, dining and lounge opening to a west-facing deck. There is also another deck by their front door.
"We are spoilt for choice when it comes to barbecuing away from the wind."
There is a bedroom beside the stairs, a toilet, bathroom and laundry.
Upstairs are the master bedroom with en suite and a second bedroom.
(The en suite is accessed from the master bedroom and the passage.) A lounge across the front of the house opens to the upstairs deck.
"We have the opportunity of using the top deck for breakfast or afternoon drinkies."
Irene says they have a view from every window. "You look out one window at flax, you look out another at the stream, at pastureland and cows grazing out the back. You go upstairs and you are looking at the sea."
The streamside section is a great spot for launching canoes, rowing boats, or fishing for sprats.
And, these days, when Irene and Dick come to Whitianga, they often bring their grandchildren.
"We have a lovely time. We play a lot of cards, a lot of games, scrabble and we do crosswords and go for walks on the beach," says Irene.
"We have access straight on to the stream with its sandy beach and we just walk from here under the bridge and you are on to the open beach, so there is no crossing roads.
"Whitianga has a very safe harbour. We still have a launch in the marina. We love fishing and we can stay out overnight on our boat, and we always stay a night or two either side of going out boating."
When not at sea, they have tended to the section or they pop into Whitianga's town centre, about three minutes away by car.
"My husband loves his vege garden, he has one at home and one here. I always have fresh vegetables. It is a raised garden, so it's low-maintenance. And around our boundary we have climbing roses. We have a lot of people come past just to smell the roses.
"The whole place is very low maintenance."
There is also a boat shed on the property with room for a large boat or two cars.
But now the couple have made a tough decision to sell their holiday spot near the water.
"Unfortunately there comes a time and it is that time for us. We have seen our children, our grandchildren and families come here, it is a joyful place and our memoirs will never be forgotten," says Irene.
"I honestly don't know who will buy it but I just hope they will love it and cherish it and care for it the same as what we have. It is a wonderful place for a family."
