A heritage property for sale in Paeroa, on the Hauraki Plains, has historic roots that go back to big names in early colonial Auckland.
6855 Te Aroha Road, which goes to auction October 29, was originally two homes that were relocated from Auckland to Paeroa in the 1990s: one half a Remuera villa built in 1891 and the other a former stable built in 1872 from Parnell.
The villa side of the house was the Wilson family's, of Wilson & Horton fame, the publishing company which established the New Zealand Herald, now part of NZME. Originally named Eversleigh, it was very prominent on a huge parcel of land off Remuera Road.
Start your property search
The stables, to the right, were built by Sir John Logan Campbell and relocated from Parnell. Photo / Supplied
The former stable side of the house belonged to one of the founding fathers of Auckland, Sir John Logan Campbell. Originally built on what is now the Parnell Rose Gardens, it was relocated down the road to Stanwell Street some years later, and then to Paeroa.
Once the buildings reached Paeroa, they were joined to craft a beautiful homestead which the then owner and her family lived in for many years.
After personal tragedy struck, she rented the property out. Unfortunately, her tenants didn’t look after the property and in 2005 she put it on the market.
“When we purchased the property, it needed a lot of love,” says current owner Jacqui Buckton-Day. “It was quite worse for wear and the garden was overgrown. But there was just something special about it.”
The Wilson home, known as Eversleigh, was built in 1876 on a prominent site off Remuera Road. Photo / Supplied
There’s something special about a historic villa. The beautiful period features, the wear and tear of long-gone feet on the floorboards, the creaking of the walls as they expand and contract during the day … it all combines to tell a story of a time when life was simpler and homes were grander.
Jacqui didn’t realise just how special it was, though, until she came to sell it herself.
“When I first bought the homestead, the previous owner gave me a brief history. But when I put it on the market a few weeks ago, she reached out to fill in the blanks.”
Bayleys agent Lee Carter, who is marketing the property with Karl Davis says this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The property of 5784 sqm has a July 2018 rating valuation of $610,000.
While Jacqui is only discovering the truth about her home now, she suspects there are still some secrets waiting to be uncovered.
As well as original fire-places and windows, there are possibly more treasures to be uncovered from the original house. Photo / Supplied
“I’m fairly certain that behind one of the ballroom walls is a secret fireplace. I hope that someone’s brave enough to pull down the walls because I bet they’ll find something amazing behind them.”
Carter says that this type of historic home is a rarity in the Paeroa region.
“What sets this property apart from other properties in the area is its grandeur,” he says. “Being a mining area, there are lots of historic homes around, but most of them don’t have the kind of features or history that a villa of this period has.”
Modern updates work with the heritage details of both the house and the stables. Photo / Supplied
For Jacqui, this is the end of one era and the beginning of another.
“I’ve been rattling around in this beautiful home by myself for the last six years. It’s time to let the old girl go and let someone else take over. It’s not quite finished – a home like this is never finished – but it will be great project for someone else to take on.
“It’s one of those things that you can work on and never really finish – and that’s a good thing. Being able to breathe new life into a historic home with so much character like this has been a real privilege.”
Check out the listing below:
