A family’s hard work in the ice cream business resulted in the creation of this 1960s clifftop home with magnificent views that to do this day are hard to lick.
Eighty-nine-year-old Margaret Massey is only now ready to farewell this strikingly set home which her late husband Brian’s parents built in 1963 following lengthy involvement with the family’s Devonport-based ‘Eldora Ice Cream’ business.
Margaret says: “I can still remember the night Brian and I moved in here; we were so excited to be here with these lovely views.”
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Brian’s Grandfather Israel Massey extended his dairy company into Eldora Ice Cream in 1928 and the brand which made popular chocolate-coated ice cream bars ‘Eldora Pies’, milk ices on sticks and take-home ice cream continued till the 1960s. Brian’s Father Arthur, who served as President of the NZ Ice Cream Manufacturers' Association from 1957 to 1960, and his wife Peg built a single-level home in this sea-gazing setting on land its neighbour subdivided.
Margaret and Brian had an architect design an upper storey after purchasing it from Brian’s parents’ estate.
She says: “It’s always been so lovely and quiet and private. And people always walk in, see the view and say ‘Wow’.”
Bayleys Devonport agent Lynda Betts says: “This property is all about the view and the potential. It’s one of the best views around here because it’s so wide going all the way from Cheltenham Beach to the end of Rangitoto.”
116A Vauxhall Road in Devonport, Auckland is scheduled for auction on Thursday August 1st. The freehold property with approximately 792-square metres of land is not far south of Fort Takapuna Reserve.
Its long private driveway positioning it well away from the road doubled as additional off-street parking when Margaret and Brian frequently entertained. There’s tandem internal-access garaging and a small car’s carport.
Margaret says: “When we bought it on the 8th of the 8th in 1988 our two daughters had grown up and left home but we wanted a third bedroom for when one visited from Brisbane with her family.”
Sixties architectural touches include a chunky rock wall accent near the front door and the foyer’s timber feature wall and staircase balustrading. Downstairs is brick, upstairs weatherboard.
There’s little hint of the view approaching the home but the foyer looks through living to a dreamy harbour panorama celebrating Rangitoto in its entirety. The front of the house is awash with glass and the living-dining’s view stretches round its western side looking right down Cheltenham Beach to North Head.
Margaret says: “We’ve seen dolphins out there, orangey early morning sunrises, America’s Cup boats and kayakers heading to Rangitoto.
“We kept a schedule on hand of when the big cruise ships were coming past so we could look out for them.”
The house has a subtle Californian vibe with abundant built-in cabinetry throughout and living opening out to a front patio with automated sun awning accompanied by manageable lawn and gardens. It often hummed with music; organ and piano-player Margaret became acquainted with her husband rehearsing for a piano accordion recital and they were later in a dance band.
The couple did catering in earlier life and the tidy, roomy kitchen they re-did about a decade ago (neighbouring a separate laundry) has storage aplenty for cooking enthusiasts.
The seawards of two big bedrooms on this level accompanied by a retro family bathroom has wonderful views and they are even more breath-taking in upstairs’ master suite.
This upstairs bedroom with walk-through-wardrobe, ensuite, kitchenette and accompanying office is one of Margaret’s favourite spots, expansive enough to admire the panorama from corner seating.
She has moved to a retirement village only a couple of kilometres away.
Find out more about 116A Vauxhall Road, Devonport
