Northland paradise

Some things never change, writes Erin Boyle. And the pleasures of summer are among those.

ROBERT AND Lynne Morton are happy to accept that the years have gone by and their lifestyle has slowed down from the days of living in some of the biggest cities in Asia.

‘‘We are ‘maturing’, as we often remind each other, but some things never change. Summer still brings with it the pleasures of friends visiting and the swimming pool is usually the focal point of our activities, sheltered from the winds but exposed to the sun for much of the day.’’

Some 20 years ago, Robert and Lynne found their perfect bit of paradise, at the end of a 4 kilometre road, on a headland overlooking Parua Bay in Northland. There was still work to do around the world, but at least they knew their future home was secured.

‘‘We knew, as soon as we saw it, that this was the place we had been dreaming about for all those years we spent as expatriates,’’ says Robert. ‘‘During the first 10 years we owned the house, we added little touches to make it our own. We continued to live in Japan, where I wound down my professional life, but spent all our holidays here, imagining how the memories and acquisitions of our international life would fit into the way we wanted to live in retirement.

‘‘When I finally retired, we couldn’t wait to move in and finish the process of making such a lovely house into our perfect permanent home.’’

The Morton family life at Parua Bay runs the full gamut of styles. They have found that it is basically what you want to make of it, from formal events down to the most casual. The house is well suited for entertaining friends made during their expatriate days in Asia and they have been known on occasion to host black tie dinners for New Year’s Eve, continuing a tradition from when they were living abroad.

But they find the best times are the outdoor activities, with family and kindred spirits.

‘‘We are fond of the Kiwi way of life, around the barbecue area or down by the swimming pool. It’s always so relaxed, especially when it’s friends who enjoy the same things that are visiting.

‘‘Our daughter has loved growing up in this environment. Over the years, she has spent many a weekend here with her friends from school and more recently from work.’’

When entertaining isn’t on the agenda, Robert and Lynne can be found exploring their property, tending to their much-loved gardens, which are now well established, or just enjoying the spectacular view.

‘‘There are so many nooks and terraces outside where one can sit, each providing a chance to relax and enjoy a different aspect of the countless magnificent views the property offers. As the sun moves toward the western horizon, we ready ourselves for the sunset,