TINDALLS BEACH

75 DE LUEN AVE

Colleen Davies could be a one-woman tourism bureau for Tindalls Beach and its Whangaparaoa neighbourhood, so fond is she of the area. “This is just one of the magic places in New Zealand,” she says. “Tourism is thriving in New Zealand, and we’ve had visitors from France, from Russia here for a few weeks. I couldn’t live by the beach where it’s rugged, here it is a micro-climate, sheltered and warm and tucked in.”

The Davies had previously restored a property in the Bay of Islands, planting hundreds of native trees there. As they considered retirement, they wanted to be closer to Auckland, initially buying land in Stanmore Bay.

“But then we decided we preferred Tindalls. This place was so close to the water, it had mature palms, we could see how we’d be able to use tropical plants. We’ve enjoyed every step, we both love landscape design, I’ve done interior design,” says Colleen.

The enthusiastic gardeners replaced conifers with a collection of rare palms and flowering warm-climate plants, creating delightful terraces and courtyards to supplement the existing seaside front terrace and adding fish ponds and waterfalls. Size: Land 809sq m, house 298sq m, plus 65sq m cottage. Price guide: $2.5 million-plus. Auction: March 29, 2pm. Inspect: Sun 2-2.30pm. Schools: Whangaparoa school and college. Contact: Karen Clarke, Bayleys, 021 355 284. On the web: bayleys.co.nz/1300360