BUCKLETON BEACH
44 BUCKLETON RD
Buckleton Beach has a special place in Andy Morris’ heart. He has been coming to this part of the Matakana Coast since the 1960s. Andy’s parents knew one of the first families to build a bach after John and Molly Buckleton subdivided the original farm the 80 or so holiday homes now stand on. Friendships he made during childhood summer holidays at the beach have lasted to this day.
He says that is what makes Buckleton more than just a cluster of baches. During holidays it becomes a community.
“To me it is about generations of families who come here,” he says. “For instance, the New Year’s race days have been going since the mid-60s.”
There are sandcastle building; three-legged running and tractor races on the beach; fishing, paddle board and tennis competitions.
“There’s even a 60m walking race for those aged over 80. But competition is the wrong word, it is just participating.”
A long-standing friendly rivalry between Buckleton families is the cricketing Lindberg-Morris cup.
“It’s just fun, we have a local guy who comes and umpires,” says Andy.
Although Andy came here less frequently in his adult years as work took him to Sydney, New York, London, Queenstown and then back to Auckland, Buckleton Beach was always on his mind.
He was overseas when he saw this beachfront property for sale, only to miss out on it at auction and then be offered it a year later in May 2003. It wasn’t a hard decision to buy.
“There are only about eight houses on the beach reserve and this is one of them.
“My heart lives in Buckleton, that is where I love, so I bought it.”
He says his board and batten house with Colorsteel roof was designed by architect Graeme Scott and built in 1995.
Its simple design is part of its attraction — the decks front and back, spacious open plan living with a new kitchen installed by Andy and fiancee Annemarie (who, fate would have it, has also been coming to Buckleton for 20 years) and three bedrooms along the side of the house.
The open plan living area has two lounges that can be left open or separated by sliding wooden-framed glass doors.
The couple, who have seven children between them, have converted the garage into a children’s rumpus room.
“It has double bunk beds and room for the kids to play in and party if they want to.”
Andy and Annemarie painted the house outside and in. “Whitened it, brightened it. And just looked after it.” With the home slightly elevated and a level lawn and hedge allowing privacy from passers-by, the sea views can still be enjoyed, and parents can keep an eye on their children swimming or kayaking or paddle boarding the bay.
“I have a boat, we do wakeboarding and biscuiting, we walk at Omaha Beach and the Tamahunga hill. We go to the Matakana markets and you have the cinemas there. You do the boating, play your cricket, you chill, you read and have people around.”
He says: “Over summer we are up there a lot, from October through to April, quite regularly.
“Weekends, around winter sport it gets more difficult and you don’t think ‘beach’ as much. But it has a fireplace so it is lovely up there.” But now they are selling. “Not because we have left Buckleton but that we have bought John and Molly Buckleton’s place on top of the hill, with 5.3ha and our plan is to live up there. I wouldn’t sell the beach house otherwise. We have bought up the top of the bay.
“That is where both of our true love is up at Buckleton, that whole Matakana region.”
He believes that with Auckland getting busier and bigger, more people are going to want the quiet, green communities of places north of Auckland such as Buckleton.
“From Auckland to the beach is an hour door-to- door if traffic is flowing freely. From Matakana markets to Buckleton is 10 minutes.”
He thinks the house will appeal to two sectors of the market. “People in their 35s to 50s who have got kids and want to give their kids the NZ bach and beach experience. Or it will be the baby boomers, whose kids have left home and want to live out of Auckland. They have cashed out their property and are looking for something up north.” Size: Land 809sq m, house 190sq m (approx). Price guide: Late $2 million range. Set sale: Closes April 27 at 4pm. Inspect: Phone for viewing times. Nearest schools: Matakana Primary, Mahurangi College. Contact: Shane Romani, 021 889 906, or Ines Curin, 021 866 659, Sotheby’s. On the web: nzsothebysrealty.com/ MAT10770