POINT WELLS
26 RIVERSIDE DRIVE
It began with a Sunday afternoon drive at the start of the new millennium. Maggie and Ian (“Hutch”) Hutchinson ran into an open home viewing of a 1ha lifestyle property in the semi-rural garden village of Point Wells to the west of Omaha.
All it took was a five-minute look before the Hutchinsons decided to buy.
“Locating a private, riparian rights, water frontage spacious property free from any adverse effect of climate change from potential sea level rise over the next millennium was very hard to find,” says Maggie.
Now, they have a waterfront residence plus a caretaker’s cottage on an exclusive walled estate of just over 1ha of prime land with full riparian rights midway between Omaha Beach and Matakana Village.
The couple replaced the original homestead with a new home five years ago, making sure the privacy, tranquillity and direct waterfront access remained.
“Living a rural lifestyle in an urban environment and launching your boat from your own private ramp 20 metres from your home into the crystal clear waters of the Whangateau Harbour certainly has appeal.”
Maggie says they only had five simple but strict criteria for their architectural brief: Colorsteel longrun roofing, wide eaves, timber weatherboards, the finest quality materials, and that the home made the most of the water frontage while retaining the privacy from the foreshore.
The result, she says, is a “timeless” property you never want to leave and always look forward to coming home to.
“Who would want to own a beach house, or even go on vacation, when it all exists at your home of residence, and better still it’s only 45 minutes north of Auckland in an idyllic and safe coastal community?”
The main living area incorporates the master bedroom with walk-in wardrobe and en suite, lounge and dining areas, and gourmet kitchen with scullery.
The outdoor living is accessed by the many large sliding and/or bifold doors, and all with ever-changing views of the estuary.
There are Wanaka schist features and European oak floors, a theatre/media room with sound system, landscaped gardens, an orchard and a separate “spalike” room with a picture window view to the estuary and a standalone stone bath filled by a ceiling mounted spout.
The bedroom wing has three bedrooms, two with walk-in wardrobes and the third has a teen lounge. All rooms have estuary views and large sliding doors to access the wraparound deck and expansive lawn.
The home is fully automated with a state of the art system, including Lutron blinds and there’s a standby auto gas-powered generator. The property also has its own boat ramp, jetty and boathouse, along with two entrances and separate driveways.
Though it is selling as one property, there are two crosslease titles which the new owner can on-sell separately. There is also the potential for further subdivision and a scheme plan is available for viewing.
Rainwater is harvested into an inground 60,000-litre water tank, supplemented by two water bores, and there’s a UV water treatment system capable of providing an “endless” supply of fresh water for the house and garden.
Maggie, 50, a management consultant, and Hutch, 57, a retiring consulting engineer, say they had to make a decision between their relaxing property, gardening, boating and travelling — or becoming beef farmers.
They chose the latter and plan to move into retirement on their 80ha beef farm in the Ahuroa Valley.
They are not ones to sit around, Maggie says, and the challenge of building up a beef farming stud fits well into their “stay busy” retirement plan. Size: Land 1.0755ha, house 425sq m. Price guide: $6 million-plus. Tender: Closes May 12. Inspect: By appointment only. Schools: Matakana Primary, Mahurangi College. Contact: Angela Wain, 027 493 6800, Mike Pero. On the web: mikepero.com/ RX1089470