Description
Properties like this are as rare as hen’s teeth on Waiheke Island. On offer is an eco-friendly two bedroom mudbrick home, plus three chalets from which you can earn extra income. An ideal retreat for artists, writers, those working from home or simply wanting a change of pace.
Entering this charming two level abode, which oozes warmth and charm, you can’t help but relax. Throughout is a sense of light, spaciousness and sunshine. Being elevated, virtually every window has a stunning view across the bushclad valleys, beyond the rolling hills, or out to the sea.
Downstairs offers open plan living kitchen, complete with gas stove, wood fire/wetback, plus dining/lounge areas. Flagstone floors, with the mudbrick walls, create thermal mass which retains warmth in winter, coolness in summer. French doors on both sides open up for extra air flow. The adjoining north facing conservatory, with bifold windows, is a gorgeous spot to sit no matter the time of year. And the large adjacent deck is perfect for entertaining, where there’s a definite feeling of being ‘above it all’. On the ground level is the bathroom, fully tiled and roomy, comprising claw foot bath, shower, sink and Aquatron composting toilet.
Upstairs, from the two double bedrooms, wake up to the joyful dawn chorus, watch the sunrise or the mist lift over the valley, and resist any temptation to leave your bed in a hurry! On this level the outer walls are board & batten, the inner walls painted gibplaster, with polished timber floors, all insulated with wool. There’s extra space under the eaves for a study, additional bed space or storage.
Away from the main house are three delightfully rustic chalets. ‘Grape’ is made of adobe, while ‘Manuka’ and ‘Olive’ are board & batten, and they share a separate lean-to kitchen, enclosed shower and compost loo. Perfect for teenagers, extended family or visiting friends, they are currently offered as seasonal holiday accommodation creating extra income.
Pathways flow from the kitchen and conservatory to the subtropical gardens where flowers and plants grow abundantly, and organic veggies thrive in the irrigated rich soil. Established fruit trees include peach, apple, fig, plum, guava, olives and grapes.
The home was built in 1997 by the late Vince Ogletree and assisted by Gordon Ely, people passionate about sustainable homes. Wherever possible, non toxic materials have been used, including heaps of oiled native timber, mainly macrocarpa joinery/beams/benches.
The property runs on solar power (8 panels, 4 deep cycle batteries, inverter and regulator) with back up generator, gas water heating/cooking. There’s a double garage up the driveway, a carport adjacent to the house plus open parking space for three more vehicles and two utility sheds.
The elevation and location are great. Situated along what’s colloquially known on Waiheke as ‘the Loop Road’ at the eastern end of the island, the home is perfectly positioned 200m down a winding driveway where you feel like you’re entering another world. And you are! The huge benefit here is the acreage. Set on 9.48 hectares (23.5 acres) of covenanted native bush, and tucked away from neighbours, it offers tranquillity and total privacy which will never be built out. There’s abundant birdlife, and tracks go through the glorious bush down to a stream where eels are caught and, in the evening, glow worms are often seen. There’s about an acre designated for personal use and, because all has not been utilised, there’s space for expansion.
This part of Waiheke, situated halfway between Onetangi and Orapiu, has only a few properties whose owners all know each other and are likeminded in their love of nature and its preservation. Close by are vineyards, restaurants and a cafe, Te Matuku Marine Reserve and an oyster farm where you buy the ever so fresh and delicious shellfish. The school bus runs from the bottom of the hill, and Fullers operate the Hopper bus around the area, and services Orapiu wharf where you can get the ferry to Coromandel.
All seems a million miles from anywhere, yet it’s only 7mins or so drive to Onetangi’s glorious beach, 10mins to the supermarket, 20mins to Oneroa village. Add two or three more to catch the 35min ferry to downtown Auckland. Then again, why would you want to?
Council Valuation $710,000
Private Valuation $905,000
Contact owner direct via this site or, if you prefer to enquire through an agent, go to
www.mikepero.com/property/MPRE21255
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