A touch of Queensland in the gulf
The wraparound verandas even have enough room for an archery range, writes SANDRA GOODWIN
When Neil and Nicola James sought more space, sunshine, beaches and boating this Queenslander-style home wrapped in verandas fitted the bill. The couple moved here from the North Shore four years ago with their two children. They’d had a boat up on a dry-stack at Gulf Harbour a few years before so knew all about the lifestyle the area offered. Nicola says: “This is such a unique house with its generous size and all the beautiful timber used inside. And it’s got more than half an acre for the kids and our dog Jim to run around.” They’re the third owners of the house, built around 20 years ago by a furniture and cabinet maker. “He’d milled macrocarpa for timber ceilings, doorways, doors and window
“This is such a unique house with its generous size and all the beautiful timber used inside.”
surrounds — and even the roof of the verandas,” says Nicola. The 2316sq m property came with both a heated salt-water swimming pool and a spa pool set in its own gazebo.They’ve loved the location. “The great thing about Gulf Harbour is that you’re already out in the middle of the Hauraki Gulf, so it’s so quick to take the boat out for fishing or diving,” she says. “I work in the city and getting the ferry into town, sipping on a coffee, is a beautiful way to start the day.” Their home is within walking distance to both Gulf Harbour Primary School and Wentworth College and about 1km from the peninsula’s northern beaches or the marina on the southern side. The Queenslander style design sits up high with its deep verandas providing shade on hot days. Nicola says: “I love lying in a hammock on the verandah, reading.” The 360sq m home with 250sq m of decks is easy to maintain — its exterior is made of Palliside weatherboards which just need washing down. Extra off-street parking fronts the internal-access double garage accessing the laundry. Soaring sarked ceilings grace the home, which has bedrooms and bathrooms down one side and living areas opening to decks down the other. Neil and Nicola recently upgraded appliances in the kitchen-dining-family room which houses a gas fireplace. The main lounge-second dining room has a wood-burning fireplace. Three bedrooms serviced by a family bathroom precede the master with en suite and walkin-wardrobe, opening to westfacing veranda. The verandas are so extensive they have a 20m archery range set up along one. They’ve added a pizza oven near the pool and have multiple outdoor seating and lounging areas to enjoy. The big lawn and subtropical gardens with palms are fully fenced. Now the children have left home they say this house deserves another family. Harcourts agent Karen Franklin says: “Iconic homes like this are rare. When buyers arrive, the children love running around on the lawn and eyeing the pools, while the adults appreciate the craftsman touches and size of the home.” Sale: $1,495,000 Contact: Karen Franklin, Harcourts, 021 779 838