An abandoned convent once investigated for paranormal activity has hit the market for sale for the first time in 20 years.
Owner Graham Harkness told OneRoof he bought the former convent at 346 Great South Road, in Huntly, Waikato, on a whim.
He now hopes a new owner can complete his vision and turn the heritage-listed property into an eye-catching home.
Harkness, a farmer from Taupiri, remembers meeting the nuns from St Anthony’s Convent, years before he bought the building.
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The previous owner, who bought it from the church in the mid-1980s, hadn’t realised at the time the building was protected and couldn’t be demolished.
Harkness said his own vision for the building was more than just money. “Sometimes in life you can’t do everything to make a profit,” he said. However, his plans to restore the building were stymied by the Global Financial Crisis and he has watched the building slowly deteriorate ever since.
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He nearly sold the property in 2020, but the deal fell over, and it was back to the drawing board.
However, the property was increasingly becoming a target for vandals so he thought about bringing it back to the open market. He engaged Bayleys agent Josh Smith, who had sold the town’s old courthouse.
The former convent has a notable history and a Historic Place Category 2 listing.
The land for the convent was donated in 1912 by Sarah Ralph, daughter of the founder of coal mining in the district. Ralph also paid for the construction of the Catholic school next door and received a papal blessing as a result of her gift, according to reports at the time.
The original convent burned down in 1931, and the replacement was built in 1931-32. It housed six nuns, Harkness said.
Harkness believes the former convent would make a great destination restaurant or an upmarket boutique hotel. “It’s a beautiful building and it could be turned into something really fabulous,” he said.
The building was rebuilt in 1931 after a fire destroyed the original convent. Photo / Supplied
Paranormal investigator Mark Wallbank has given the former convent a "clean" bill of health. Photo / Janna Dixon
The former convent caught the attention of one of New Zealand’s leading paranormal investigators. Mark Wallbank, who runs Paranormal New Zealand, went through the building in 2015 looking for ghosts. He eventually concluded that it wasn’t haunted, but he still enjoyed photographing and documenting it.
Smith told OneRoof that the building would be highly desirable in most locations. “Without being disrespectful, if it was anywhere else in the country, it would sell like hot cakes,” he said.
In his listing, he was enthusiastic about its heritage and its potential. “Though it has seen years of wear, the structure remains solid, with eye-catching features like the impressive arched entrance waiting to be restored to its former glory,” he wrote.
“The spacious interior is ready to be transformed into something special. Whether you envision creating bespoke accommodation, boutique retail, office spaces, or even a destination café or restaurant, this property is brimming with potential.”
Paranormal investigator Mark Wallbank, pictured far right, enjoyed photographing and documenting the building. Photo / Janna Dixon
Smith told OneRoof the buyer would need to spend a “serious amount of coin” on restoration. However, thanks to the 15.2km State Highway 1 Huntly bypass, which opened in 2020, the town could now be in for a revival.
“The spin on it would be that South Auckland is now meeting Hamilton, and with the bypass of the road going around it, the town has actually livened up. No different from what Pokeno did.”
With an influx of first-home buyers boosting the town’s fortunes, the former convent would be an attractive location for a bespoke gallery, or high-end French restaurant, Smith said. “You have over half of New Zealand’s population within a one-hour drive.”
Huntly has more going for it than most people realise, Smith added. “If you look at it from Google Earth, there are lakes, there’s a river, and it’s quite a unique proposition when you look at the population that’s around it.” He added that the town’s stigma would lift over time. “It’s like Paeroa, which had a few gang issues two decades ago. Now Paeroa is a retirement mecca for Aucklanders.”
- 346 Great South Road, in Huntly, Waikato, goes to auction on December 5
