Paradise found in Pelorus
In October 1988 Debra and Michael Brennan were exhausted from their frenetic life in Christchurch and desperately wanted a change.
That change was sudden when Michael visited a property for sale at Waitata Bay in the outer Pelorus Sound and promptly bought it.
Fortunately Debra was not put off by the fact that it was ‘‘miles from anywhere’’ and in an extremely primitive state, and the couple began their love affair with the Marlborough Sounds.
‘‘We had always said that when we got married we wanted to live on a hill by the sea, and this is what we got,’’ said Debra.
Made from local timbers with hardiplank exterior, the first priority was to make the house liveable. Re-roofing and re-wiring were required and the cladding was gradually replaced with board and batten.
1990 saw their first child, Jacob, arrive followed during the next few years by Oliver and Isaac.
‘‘It was very hard in those early days,’’ said Debra. ‘‘We were so far away from anyone. Even our neighbours were miles away.’’
The boys received their early education by correspondence except for a short spell when they attended the French Pass School.
‘‘The school was in danger of closing and needed more pupils. It took an hour to get there and an hour to get back so it was a huge effort and a relief when I took over the homeschooling,’’ she said.
In time Michael was able to purchase a digger and truck and work as a contractor around the district which enabled the couple to develop their property as a destination for visitors who want to explore the Marlborough Sounds.
The original house has been extended many times and now sleeps up to 14 people. Now that the boys have mostly left home, Deborah and Michael have just moved into ‘‘Bayview Cabin’’ at one end of the expansive verandah, leaving the main house for guests.
Closer to the native bush they have built ‘‘Waterfall Cabin’’, which also sleeps up to 14.
‘‘It is a real privilege to share this amazing place with visitors,’’ said Debra. ‘‘We love meeting people and now have the luxury of them coming to us.’’
The bay is often a source of supper, supplying ample fish, mussels, scallops and crayfish in season. If you stand on the jetty you will often see fish basking in the sun.
Oliver is now working on the property with Michael and they are developing walking/biking tracks up through the native hillsides onto the tops where the view is spectacular, great tongues of green stretching down into the brilliant blue waters below. Maori believe that these ancient drowned valleys are the prows of the sunken waka of Aoraki. It is an area rich in legend.
The couple still have much to do. A games room has just been finished for guests and there is the dream of restoring the old wooden boat parked up down by the shore. Paradise indeed.