THE GREAT ESCAPE
Coast and Country
Chris and Beth Hanley already have the camper van that is going to be a big part of their new lifestyle, but they’re finding it hard to get used to the idea of selling their Orewa home. Twenty-nine years is a long time to own a house, and this one has seen them through numerous life stages, from the young couple who bought it as a bach, to the family with children, and finally to the older couple who need to downsize.
“We actually bought the house before we were married,” Chris says. “I was a townie from Papakura and Beth was a country girl, and we saw Orewa as a good place to have a bach with a longterm plan to have a permanent home there.”
The bach came with 10 acres and Chris and Beth grazed sheep and cattle, and kept horses on it.
After three or four years they began major alterations. Chris, who has designed many houses, put together plans for the renovations, looking to create a spacious, user-friendly family home that would accommodate friends and family.
It’s a classic weatherboard and iron-roofed home with elegant lines and pretty verandas on most sides. Most rooms open up to the verandas via sliding doors and bi-fold windows.
Chris has made sure most rooms take advantage of the views over the bush to Hatfields Beach, and are well positioned for the sun. The huge secondlevel master with its en suite and dressing room has a particularly spectacular view.
Once the transformation was well underway they decided it was time to move to Orewa permanently.
It took about 18 years to completely renovate the house, which is now a warm, sunny family home of 370sq m with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, two living areas, formal dining, separate office and an enviable sunroom. There’s also a 90sq m utility shed and a one-bedroom self-contained studio.
“We’re not especially social people but we’ve entertained thousands of friends here over the years,” Chris says. (If new owners want to continue or expand that tradition, there is resource consent and working drawings for a minor dwelling with a double garage to be built on the property.)
Although the house grew to accommodate family and friends, the land area became smaller when Chris and Beth subdivided it a few years ago. It’s now a 2ha block and a couple of horses still graze. The surrounding garden includes mature trees and easy-care plantings of exotics and natives. A spectacular wisteria decorates the veranda.
Since they started looking for a suitable property to replace this big country home, Chris and Beth have become more aware of the special things about living in the country.
“I will really miss the quietness, even though it took me six months to get used to it when we first came here,” Chris says. “A possum would wake me up in the middle of the night and then the silence would keep me awake.”
He’s also noticed that the country lifestyle is less pressured than urban residential living.
“You don’t feel you always have to be mowing the lawn,” he says.
“And we will miss the location — really close to town and schools, and to the beach. Beth has ridden horses along those beaches all these years.”
A lock-up-and-leave property is now in their sights so they can be free to travel. The camper van is good to go.