Living off the grid in luxury
Offering panoramic views overlooking Tauranga, Mayor Island and the Coromandel, this brilliantly designed home allows you to soak up a life of luxury while being almost completely self-sufficient.
To say that Jean and Maureen are living the good life would be an understatement. They are in fact soaking up the dream life in stunning Ohauiti – a location close to all that the Bay of Plenty has to offer. Such a state of affairs did not happen by accident. The couple had looked at many promising properties before their gaze settled upon this home seven years ago. “At our first visit to the property we recognised the potential to generate hydro electric power from the multiple streams and waterfalls in the native bush area as well as solar power from the expansive American style barn roof. We fell in love with the beautiful house with breathtaking views, set amidst the lush easycontoured grazing land. We were really excited by the opportunity to be self sufficient in both power and food, and this place ticked all the boxes.” Jean and Maureen explain why the home is beyond unique: “We’re living the dream of self sufficiency, and have no power bills. We have our own fresh water bore, and we grow our own fruit, vegetables, eggs and meat. With 45 solar panels and a small hydro unit we have all bases covered, summer and winter.” Your first glimpse of the property is the grand European inspired home sitting majestically on a rise. As you drive up the cherry tree lined driveway past the potager gardens and espalier fruit trees near the impressive front entrance, you know that you have arrived somewhere very special. The four-bedroom house is north facing, ensuring all-day sun and has stunning panoramic views overlooking Tauranga, Mayor Island and the Coromandel. To the west the Kaimai ranges provide the backdrop for stunning sunsets which Ohauiti is known for. Each bedroom and living area enjoys all day sun as well as wonderful vistas. The upstairs portico with wide opening cedar shutters is the couple’s favourite place to enjoy the starry moonlit nights and the twinkling night lights of Tauranga. All living areas have wide opening exterior doors to the solar heated salt water pool and lovely gardens. The upstairs master suite, with its own private lounge and portico, is exclusively yours to enjoy. The downstairs formal lounge, which doubles as a home theatre with surround sound, adjoins the dining room. The farm is a walk in the park to manage and the couple farm purely for lifestyle with happy, very well fed and relaxed organically raised livestock. The chemical-free vegetable garden and fruit trees keep the family away from the supermarket. With a few chickens to keep them in eggs and a pet kunekune pig roaming free, life is good. Coming from a hospitality background Jean and Maureen and love to entertain, either around the pool when the grandchildren are visiting or getting together with friends and family in the hub of the house around the informal dining area and kitchen, an entertainer’s dream with a walk-in pantry, dual dishwashers double ovens and oh so much bench space.