For owner Kim, her Kaipara sanctuary is far more than just a home, it’s a place to host and connect with friends, operate her business and be forever inspired by the peace, tranquillity and sheer beauty of the landscape.
“When I first walked through the door, I had a wow moment,” she says.
“Every day I look out at this wonderful, ever-changing vista – it’s better than watching a movie. It’s such an expansive view, you can see right across the harbour and into the hills. I call it Kāhu Retreat, kahu is Māori for hawk. So for me it was my heart and my hawk, and you can watch them soaring above.”
At 3948sqm, the elevated, north-facing property is located on the ridgeline and savours a wonderful sense of space within the landscaped grounds and gardens.
Start your property search
“I have enough land to have some sheep – they’re all named of course! Stanley, Maggie and Jerry come running as soon as I call.”
Kim moved down this way two-and-a-half years ago from the Far North to be closer to Auckland and to family.
“I moved from the Whangaroa Harbour down onto the Kaipara Harbour. The little boat ramp is only five minutes away to launch my boat – it’s all been renovated and upgraded recently.”
The 213qm house is built for entertaining, she says.
“It’s a single level that just flows and has verandas right around it. There’s outdoor dining areas, outdoor seating, a pizza oven and bar and outdoor fireplace, all looking down at the view.”
The original part of the house is solid kauri and was built in 1920. Two seamless extensions were added on at either end in 2012.
The 213sqm house has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, garaging and off-street parking.
The original part of the house is solid kauri and was built in 1920, then two seamless extensions were added on at either end in 2012.
“Sarked ceilings run the whole way through the house. My electrician has been up into the roof a few times and says its built like a brick shithouse.”
The sprawling floorplan incorporates two lounges, four generous bedrooms and three bathrooms, with an impressive chef’s kitchen that features a freestanding Belling oven. An HRV system ensures all year round comfort and the inside flows out to an inground swimming pool complex.
Security isn’t an issue thanks to the property being gated and fully-fenced for dogs.
Kim runs her business, Kimi’s Kollectic, from here, with the layout, proportions and facilities providing plenty of opportunity to do so. “I make feather jewellery and do photography. Everything I do is about nature, I’m a natural artist and make sustainable pieces,” she says.
“One of the key reasons I bought the house is that it has a large garage that I use as my workshop. It’s lined with float glass so it’s got this wonderful light. If you’re an artist you’ve got your own little art studio there – it doesn’t matter what the day is like as you’ve always got beautiful light.”
Kim is in good company here as the area is filled with like-minded creatives.
Harcourts agent Francee Boult says: “There’s enough room to have grandparents as well as the kids and plenty of living space, plus great privacy.”
“Every day I look out at this wonderful, ever-changing vista – it’s better than watching a movie,” says the homeowner.
“We’re in a little enclave where we live, there’s a number of artists, weavers and potters. Oneriri Road is an untapped area that not many people know about. We’re only an hour from the North Shore, we’re only an hour from the CBD of Auckland. One of my best friends just bought a house down the road. I don’t intend to leave the area, my intention is to downsize.”
Kim has done lots to the grounds, including planting fruit trees and putting a large cabin down in the field.
“It has a beautiful veranda with an amazing view and offers the potential for a completely separate dwelling or operating it as a business.”
She also currently operates Kahu Retreat as an Airbnb. “I had guests stay recently and one of them said, ‘you’re living the dream, you’ve got everything here’. They sat outside with their beers and watched the sun go down and he said the only thing he heard all night were the rurus.”
Listing agent Francee Boult, from Harcourts, is marketing the property with Lina Lum-On, and says she can see a multi-generational family here and that several of the groups through so far have been extended families.
“There’s enough room to have grandparents as well as the kids and plenty of living space, plus great privacy. The sunsets are phenomenal as is life on the Kaipara,” she says.
“We’re 35 minutes from Mangawhai and Mangawhai prices are Auckland prices. Living on the Kaipara is exceptional value for money proposition for sure.”
- 956 Oneriri Road, Kaiwaka, Kaipara, has an asking price of $1.245m
