The lure of Northland
Generous hosts decide to call it a day, writes Donna McIntyre, and that means their luxurious coastal retreat is on the market
Carrie and Richard Barron could be described as hosts with the most. Their luxury Cavalli Beach House Retreat property at Mahinepua is all of 80 metres — maybe one minute at a leisurely barefoot stroll — to the beach at Rapaki Bay.
Since 2004 they have hosted guests — mainly international — in the lodge that nestles into the coastal landscape of the gated community, surrounded by native planting, but also there’s a few hibiscus and bourganvillea simply because Carrie couldn’t resist them.
The couple bought in April, 2004. Before that they had run a fly-fishing lodge at Taupo, and Kingfish Lodge at Whangaroa Harbour.
They wanted to return to the north from Taupo because of the climate and they also knew the area well from their time at Whangaroa.
“And the scenery is beautiful, and it’s pleasant here,” says Carrie.
“You look straight out to sea and every boat that is coming to New Zealand passes over here. We have the app called MarineTraffic and we can see whether it’s a cruise ship, container or tanker. If you like ships, as we do.”
The lodge was architecturally designed by Martyn Evans and Chris Howell (now based in Sydney) and opened in 1999.
Carrie and Richard added the owners’ home in 2010 against the backdrop of a pine forest. They have set up their home as two bedrooms, two bathrooms but Carrie says the rooms they use as their two offices could easily be changed to bedrooms.
All the rooms in their home open to the outside and face north to the view.
The lodge, separated by greenery from the home, with separate driveway access has four en suited bedrooms — two with their own sitting rooms.
It is built over three levels with a lounge and dining area on the middle floor as well as the kitchen where guests’ meals are prepared. There is a spa pool behind the lodge.
The architectural lines are attractive while also discreet, with the curved roofline, magnificent interior dcor and the spacious decks — nautical in appearance — to fully appreciate the sea breeze and the views over the bay, the neighbouring Mahinepua scenic reserve and the Pacific Ocean stretching across to the Cavalli Islands.
Their guests tend to drive from Auckland or fly from Auckland to Kerikeri, pick up a rental car and make the 30-minute drive to the bay. “We tend to be their first stop off a long haul, or their last stop in New Zealand,” says Carrie.
Popular activities are walking in the reserve, going out on the boats in the Bay of Islands, going diving or dolphin watching, going to Waipoua forest, day trips to Cape Reinga, Mangonui, Paihia or having dinner at The Duke of Marlborough Hotel in Russell. But lately, says Carrie, a lot of guests have opted to relax, swim and kayak in the bay.
“And we’re only 15 minutes if they want to play golf at Kauri Cliffs, one of the top 100 clubs in the world.”
The couple are selling simply because “we’re old”, says Carrie. “We have always loved what we do but we are both 75. We have been in hospitality 34 years and it is time for us to not be so hospitable!
“The business is fine but we are fit and well and we have things we want to do.”
They say ideally they would sell as a business but the property would also suit a multi-generational ex-pat family (grandparents, parents and children) — or even someone could live in the owner’s house and rent out the lodge.
“And if you do run it as accommodation, you get three months off every year because in winter the people who can afford us are all overseas, as we are.
“I think the setting is unique. And we are in a private gated community, there’s only six of us inside the gate. We all get on exceptionally well.
“We get that exceptional view and we have riparian rights, so we have a private beach. It’s just lovely.”