Whenuapai

By CHARLOTTE COSSAR

Close to West Harbour, Hobsonville and the quaint Herald Island, Whenuapai forms a beautiful part of Auckland's rural rim and is only 14km as the crow flies from the central city.

Herald Island itself deserves special mention. The island was utilised by a number of Maori tribes as a staging post for canoe voyages and war parties. It was named after the HMS Herald by Governor William Hobson in February 1840, while he was travelling aboard her and carrying out a maritime survey of the Waitemata Harbour.

It has been privately owned since the late 1840s and was eventually subdivided. The first section, 119 Ferry Parade, was sold on June 19, 1928.

Before the causeway was built in 1958, ferries and boats were the island's lifeline, and Herald Island was a self-sufficient community with its own stores, boat club, school, picture theatre and church. Now connected to the mainland by the causeway, it has a long water frontage with many properties on the water's edge. Many have their own jetties or boat ramps, and a few have wharves with boat access on all tides. It is unique to live on an island so close to Auckland city in a rural village with lots of reserves, plenty of trees - including ancient pohutukawa - and surrounded by the sea.

Whenuapai attracts a vast cross-section of the city's inhabitants - from true lifestylers searching for the Kiwi 10-acre block to those looking for a suburban lifestyle in the middle of the countryside, and, latterly, investors seeking to maximise returns from the current and proposed changes to the roading network.

The comprehensive RNZAF aerodrome has an uncertain future - there is a possibility it will become the city's second international airport. This idea has a mixed reception from residents in the wider community.

The attractive destination includes some of the finest homes in Auckland, with unsurpassed views towards the city. This contributes to values of over $1 million for such homes.

Nearby Hobsonville has many of the positive qualities of Whenuapai with a greater emphasis on the seaside location.

The exceptional sea views and access to the harbour make the overall area a haven for people passionate about boats and water sports. The marina at West Harbour is another plus for local boat owners.

The region is not short of great eateries, fabulous places to park the boat, great recreational amenities and many industries supporting the boating industry.

Being only a 15- to 20-minute drive from the CBD, in off-peak traffic, you are never too far from the bright lights - and you can often view them from the comfort of you own home.