Renovation a labour of love

HOME: Matt and Verena Nowak are the owners of College House backpackers (inset) in Campbell St. PICTURE: PAUL BROOKS

Matt and Verena Nowak brought their five children out from Germany to start a new life in New Zealand. Paul Brooks finds out what happened next.
Five years on they are settled in Wanganui and running a successful backpackers at 42b Campbell St, originally built by Henry Sarjeant as a family home.
College House, is so named because of its previous association with Wanganui City College as a boarding house. Reminders of its earlier incarnation remain - photographs on the walls, recreational equipment in the common room, some of the kitchen facilities, and its proximity to Stewart House which has a similar history.
Both buildings began as private dwellings, both became Karitane institutions, both housed boarders and both reverted to private ownership.
College House is much bigger than it looks from the road. Extensions have been added and there's a large carpark. The old house is the Nowak family home.
Inside the backpackers part of the property, a map on the wall looks like any other, until you notice all the countries have German names.
"We come from the south of Germany, in Bavaria," says Matt. "We moved to the middle of Germany, to the Frankfurt area, for about 20 years. There was a point we thought it would be great to go abroad with the children for a year to get experience. That was when the youngest was six and the eldest was 16. Two boys and three girls - in age order Vincent, Marie, Clarissa, Stella and Lennart.
"New Zealand was definitely the country of choice," says Matt. "English-speaking, the environment, close to the water, temperature ... all these things are good arguments in favour."
Matt got a job in IT, working in Wellington as a project manager while Verena and the children lived in Wanganui. She worked as a swimming coach and instructor at the Splash Centre, a job she still holds part-time. The youngest children attended Westmere School. They spoke no English but within a few months were fluent.
"We come from the Danube so we need a river and the mountains are not too far away," says Matt. "The prices are much more acceptable than Wellington, for example."
They bought the property from City College and started work on it.
"We are drawn to older houses with some history," says Verena. "It was massive and quite rundown." In Germany they liked to buy older homes and do them up, so they've never lived in a new house.
As a backpackers, College House is ideally situated, being close to supermarkets and the CBD. "It's ideal for travellers who don't have a car or don't want to use a car," says Matt. "It took about two years of weekends to convert it."
They have retained as much of the building's history as they could. Some of the rooms bear the names of sponsors - like the Ron Russell Room - from the school boarding house days. "We've tried to keep the heritage as much as possible but still make it new and attractive," says Matt.
The children have adapted to the Kiwi lifestyle. Vincent and Clarissa worked as lifeguards at Castlecliff and Kai Iwi over the holidays. During term, Vincent is at Victoria University studying marine biology, Marie studies hotel management in New Plymouth and the others attend school in Wanganui.
College House can sleep up to 30 people, a number often reached in summer. Rooms range from dormitories to private rooms for one to three people. Families as well as single backpackers are welcome.
The kitchen is huge, allowing plenty of space for everyone to prepare their food.
Many nationalities find their way to College House and visitors are exposed to a variety of languages.
New Zealand is popular with young German tourists because they are able to work and travel for a full year, says Matt. "They stay longer and experience the country in much more depth. Some go berry picking so they stay a while. Tourists just move on."
Some are travelling the Te Araroa track.
"We meet new people and hear their stories; it's very interesting," says Matt.
In the off season Matt and Verena work on the property. They are slowly converting all the windows to double glazing, for example. The windows are big, giving every room lots of light. From some you can see Mt Ruapehu. Two dogs, Socks and Boots, have their run at the side of the house.
The backyard contains a barbecue area, parking for bicycles and a small paddock where Bella lives - she's a fawn from up the Whanganui River.
A large pohutakawa shades some of the yard and there are outdoor tables and benches. The land forms an L-shape around Stewart House, connecting Campbell and Plymouth streets.
¦For more information contact Matt and Verena through the website, www.42b.co.nz