Living on a 1.2ha block has allowed the Tillman family to grow up having an "old school childhood".
Learning to ride their bikes on the land, and progressing to motocross. Bringing home fish from the sea just three minutes away where they could launch their boat, and then barbecuing orsmoking it.
Mike and Donna Tillman and their six children bought the five-bedroom home 15 years ago on a 0.8ha block, as all properties in Clayden Dr were at the time. When council regulations changed and the blocks could be subdivided into 0.4ha sections, they snapped up a neighbour's 0.4ha of bush to add to theirs.
A decade and half later, just three of their six offspring are at home.
"Three have moved away and got married and things and the other three come and go. The youngest are twins and in their 20s. And my 23-year-old son is in his last year at university.
"We also have three cats, two dogs, 15 chooks — and the goldfish in the ponds."
Mike and Donna were already living at Gulf Harbour when they chanced upon this property for sale with the house that was built in 1980.
22 Clayden Drive. Gulf Harbour. Photo / Supplied
"We looked around for a lifestyle property and we found this one. We are three minutes from the main Gulf Harbour area but you would think we were an hour and a half away, it feels so rural.
"We just like the whole coast feeling. I had a business at Silverdale so it was easy to go down the coast.
"Even today I leave work and go home and it has a feeling that you're going on holiday.
"There is something very special about the Hibiscus Coast.
"We look over the Gulf Harbour marina and beyond to Rangitoto and the city."
They have called their property Lazy Acres but Mike says you can't be 100 per cent lazy here because there's always a bit of work involved with lifestyle blocks.
Their ride-on mower breaks the back of routine maintenance, and that and other tools are included in the chattels of the sale.
22 Clayden Drive. Gulf Harbour. Photo / Supplied
They have also renovated the home internally — re-gibbing, reflooring, new toilets and new showers.
Mike likens the shape of their two-level weatherboard and HardiePlank home with Colorsteel roof to a Swiss chalet with its high pitched roofline and internal timber ceilings.
It has the living areas plus two bedrooms and bathroom on the ground level; three bedrooms and a bathroom on the upper level where balconies capture the stunning views.
