- Former Rodney mayor John Law is selling his historic two-bedroom bach in Totara North.
- The bach, on Whangaroa Harbour, has no rates, only a $280 annual residing consent fee.
- The property, renovated by Law, is listed with a licence to occupy for over $700,000.
Former Rodney mayor John Law is selling his one-of-a-kind Northland bach.
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The two-bedroom historic cottage at 104 Okura Bay Road, in Totara North, sits on piles on the edge of Whangaroa Harbour, perched above the water.
The fact the bach is on the water means Law has never had to pay rates in his 22 years there. The only charge is a $280 per annum residing consent fee. “It’s quite funny,” he joked.
The property is packed with vintage collectables. Photo / Supplied
The vendors, John and Lesley Law, love the view and being able to fish from the deck. Photo / Supplied
Law and his wife Lesley bought the near 100-year-old property after hearing about it by chance from a Bobcat driver doing work on one of their building sites. “Because I had a place at nearby Cooper’s Beach, I thought, ‘Oh, I’ll go and have a look’.” He fell in love with what he saw and the couple snapped it up.
The bach was their holiday home at first but after they retired, they made it their permanent home.
During the years they’ve owned it, they’ve renovated it inside and out. “When we bought the place, we had it all rewired. It’s all been properly done. We insulated, and we strengthened the underneath of the house. We’ve had it engineered. We have permits for the fireplace. It’s all been done properly,” Law said.
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The interiors include a wide variety of vintage collectables on the walls, as well as artwork by the couple’s daughter, Susannah, who owns the Red Beach Studio gallery in Whangaparāoa.
Law said the building started life as a store for local boat builders. “At one stage in its history, the Farmers Trading Company bought it to run as a store. Then some locals bought it and ran it as a shop,” he said, adding that it had been turned into a residence shortly before he and his wife bought it.
Law said the best thing about the bach was being able to fish straight off the deck. “You can catch kahawai, snapper, kingfish, flounder all off there,” he said. “The best catch ever would be a 10-15kg snapper.”
The listing agent has given a price indication of over $700,000 for the property. Photo / Supplied
Law said the couple were selling up to move closer to family, but would miss their unique home.
Bayleys listing agent David Baguley told OneRoof that buyers would have a licence to occupy the bach, as it was located over the water. “The Licence to Occupy is scattered about Northland with similar buildings at Mangōnui, Horeke, Opua, Rawene and Paihia.”
He said the property was looking for buyers with over $700,000 to spend. “The owners are keen to sell and don’t mind pre-auction offers,” he said.
- 104 Okura Bay Road, Totara North, Far North, goes to auction on November 5
