Setting ripe for coastal lifestyle
With the mountain behind, the surf out in front, and just over four hectares of prime pasture underfoot, this property awaiting title on Lower Weld Rd, just out of Oakura, has serious appeal.
With those desirable lifestyle aspects in place, Harcourts consultant Greer Thomas was expecting the immediate flood of phone calls when she initiated the sale advertising a week ago for Lot 2 of 249 Lower Weld Rd. ‘‘There’s not a lot of 10-acre blocks available around here, and being so close to Oakura makes this property very sought-after.’’
Greer imagines the vision a new owner will bring to this land, which she says is a blank canvas for a special, selfsufficient lifestyle. The property is set off the road, with a new driveway reaching in to a likely elevated building site with the land laid out below.
From here, you can look out over the three existing mostly flat paddocks to a glimpse of the Timaru Stream as it flows down to meet the sand and sea. Standing on the western boundary, you can look back up the property to the Kaitake Ranges and the peak of the mountain. Across the valley, there are a handful of new homes that highlight the appeal of living in this area. Turn to the north and you will look down the wide valley vista to see the bay where the Gairloch shipwreck is a feature.
Surf could well be a factor that draws new owners here. Taranaki’s Surf Highway 45 is well-named ... there are dozens of surf breaks, some of them world-class, along this curve of coastal highway between New Plymouth and Opunake.
Greer suggests another potential attraction for new owners – raising and grazing a horse or pony here. ‘‘With easy access to the beach, you can ride down there and head north or south along the sand. Top riders have developed their skills in this area and I wouldn’t be surprised if 50 percent of the market is equestrian.’’
The lifestyle here has been appreciated by Graeme and Trace in the five years since they built their new home on the remaining rear portion of the land. Trace, though, has had a family connection to Weld Rd for the past 40 years.
She lists some of the things she has appreciated here and that new owners will quickly treasure: ‘‘Whitebaiting in the river, an awesome swimming hole down at the rivermouth that’s great for kids, the sunsets are just stunning, and the night skies capture you.’’
Located away from urban areas, there is no light pollution to disturb the splash of stars across the firmament. Trace says lights from passing ships can be seen out at sea at night; while during the day, you can identify fishing boats heading out for a catch, and the supply ships on their way to the offshore Maui gasfield platform.
There’s also a unique visual feature across the stream valley – an old brick chimney that resembles a wine bottle when silhouetted against the sunset. Along the beach, the rusty ribcage remains of the Gairloch are also a focus for photographers – at least until the metal finally crumbles away.
The Weld Rd setting enjoys its own micro-climate, Trace adds. ‘‘It can be blowing a gale in town, but past the Tapuae the wind often just disappears. And even when there’s a breeze in Oakura, it can be calm enough here for spraying.’’
Graeme enjoys the sense of space here and the peace and quiet that comes with that. ‘‘It’s great not having anybody living too close ... you can have things like a bonfire, when you want to. I don’t think I could live in town again.’’
Surfcasting off the beach is another attraction, he says, offering an alternative focus to whitebait. ‘‘You can catch snapper, gurnard and kahawai.’’
Prospective buyers for this property range from young families to retiring farmers who don’t want to move into town, Greer says. ‘‘There’s the freedom
PROPERTY DETAILS
Phone: Email: of a rural setting out here, away from the urban bustle. You can shop at Oakura and Okato. There’s good proximity to schooling at Oakura, and the internationally renowned Green School, or along at Okato through to high school. The school bus stops at the top of the road.’’
Greer says the land is fertile volcanic ash that was once part of a local dairy farm and has the potential to be refined into a beautiful lifestyle property.