THE TREEHOUSE
This Henderson property, with its own lake and waterfall, truly offers a retreat from the city, finds SANDRA GOODWIN
Vivien Bridgwater first laid eyes on this extraordinary retreatlike property with sculpted lake, waterfall and exquisite bush 30 years ago, before its distinctive home was added, and she was blown away by it then.
Friends took her to see this 2.12ha property they’d bought which was formerly part of the Leman family’s Dreamlands Estate and had a lake and waterfall created by craftsmen in the 1930s.
Vivien says: “I thought, ‘Oh my God, this is amazing.’ I didn’t know anything like this existed in New Zealand.”
By the time her friends, who’d lived in Thailand, were ready to sell around 2013 they had added an architecturally designed, Japanese-influenced teak home using beautiful materials including its Japanese tile roof and parquet flooring.
Vivien, who is a board director and consultant, had been a city girl her whole life but the lure of this special property was too much to resist.
She remembers her youngest daughter, who accompanied her on the drive to see it saying, “Wow, it’s like we’ve arrived in another country and we didn’t even get on a plane.”
The ambience is quiet and soothing, with the natural beauty of the environment shining strongly accompanied by the sounds of birdsong and water.
Vivien says “The lake was originally built for a retreat and the [Auckland] Museum has historical photos of people in bloomers swimming in it.”
A large flat lawn extends down to the lake edge and Vivien often entertains here around a big table or lies in her lakeside hammock. Sitting in the clawfoot bath she installed alongside the house with a glass of wine is another favourite pursuit.
She says the two-storey home integrating an internalaccess double garage was beautifully crafted in the 1990s.
“The house feels to me like you’re in a treehouse, with all the windows bringing the outside in.
“I thought, ‘Oh my God, this is amazing.’ I didn’t know anything like this existed in New Zealand.”
“You feel like you’re suspended in the bush.”
Downstairs includes a large study or studio she has also used as a bedroom, plus a powder room.
Upstairs, Japanese design influence exhibits in the round window and sliding doors opening out to a large covered deck, its balustrading twined with bougainvillea and wisteria.
The parquet floors add a particular charm to the large kitchen living-dining space with its wood-burning fireplace.
Both the master bedroom and the second bedroom have en suite access to upstairs’ bathroom.
“I sit out on the deck a lot. And my favourite time to sit by the lake is in the morning or the evening because of the shadows moving across the water then.”
She says there’s an incredibly tranquil, meditative feeling living where you can’t see the lights of another house. Native birds abound, drinking from the lake, including wood pigeon who get drunk on nikau seeds.
It takes her about 40 minutes off peak to get into the city and the property is handy to WestCity and west coast beaches.
Vivien is selling because she’s increasingly spending time in the central city as her
three children and grandchildren all live there and she became chair of the Auckland Theatre Company this year.
Kellands agent Blair Watson says: “Visiting the property for the first time, I was blown away to think a property as unique and stunning as this exists so close to Auckland. It really is something special. You really need to see it, to truly get it.” Sale: Tender closes March 31
Contact: Blair Watson, Kellands, 021 502 930