- Kylemore, a Victorian mansion in Ararimu, was originally a convent in Remuera.
- The property, now for sale, features six bedrooms and sits on 7.13ha.
- Agent Scott McElhinney says it could serve as a homestead or function centre.
A former convent that was chopped into eight pieces and moved from one of Auckland’s wealthiest urban suburbs to a rural block almost 50km away has come up for sale.
Start your property search
Kylemore, a sprawling Victorian mansion at 137 Dunn Road, in Ararimu, started life on the northern slopes of Remuera more than a century ago.
It was a wealthy merchant’s home, but when he died, it was bequeathed to the Anglican Church, and became a convent and a birthing home.
Barfoot & Thompson listing agent Scott McElhinney told OneRoof: “The nuns, you know, used the property as a convent where unwed mothers would come and have babies to be adopted out. There would have been lots of babies over the years. If those walls could talk, they’d have a lot of stories.”
The merchant’s grand home was moved from its location on Remuera’s Arney Road in 1998. It had been an Anglican convent and home. Photo / Supplied
The huge house has many features, including a billiard room, multiple living and dining rooms, a study and the original turret. Photo / Supplied
Photos from the convent’s early years show the Sisters of Compassion with 27 young babies.
In 1998, the church put the house and land on the market, and the new buyers decided to replace the original homestead. It was then cut up and trucked to its current location, where it was blessed by local iwi and the church.
They also renamed the home “Kylemore”. The name came from a shelf company they had bought, according to material collated by Barfoot & Thompson.
Discover more:
- Developer withdraws home from sale, gives it to sick kids
- Mansion draws around a dozen qualified $9m buyers in its first week
- Buyer loses significant deposit after ghosting vendors
Coincidentally, there is a Kylemore Abbey in Ireland, which became a convent at the same time as the New Zealand house and housed Belgian nuns who had become refugees after their monastery was destroyed in the Battle of Ypres in World War I.
The current owners of 137 Dunn Road bought the property in 2020 for $3.4m. They are originally from China and asked McElhinney to speak on their behalf.
He said they originally bought the property to accommodate extended family, but their situation had changed and they now wanted to sell. “They purchased the property going back into Covid times, for a multi-generational type home, but now it’s just too big for them, and they’re looking to sell it.”
The house is about 556sqm in size and sits on 7.13 hectares of land. It has six bedrooms, including five with ensuites, a games room, multiple living areas, and a large entry hall with a sweeping staircase.
The owners bought the property for their extended family to live in, but it could become a function centre or lodge. Photo / Supplied
The 7.13ha property has a tennis court, pool house, triple garage with studio, sheds and a pond and jetty. Photo / Supplied
McElhinney described the decor as chandeliers meet subway tiling, adding that the house was resplendent with ornate ceilings, drapes, and stained-glass windows.
One of the biggest highlights is a turret that offers views of the surrounding farmland. “At the time when it was in Remuera, they [the original owners] could climb the turret to look out and see the boats arriving,” McElhinney told OneRoof. “There is a history that’s there. One room that was once a chapel is now a lounge.”
The RV is $4.325m, but McElhinney said the property was hard to price, noting that homes in the area were selling for both above and below RV.
So far, potential buyers have been mainly from Auckland, he said. “Local interest. It’s one of those landmark properties that people are aware of and curious about. People have told me that they’ve seen it in the past or admired the property. Maybe it has a business angle. Maybe it’s a function centre or hosting weddings or Airbnb. It’s certainly appealing to someone looking for an out-of-the-box type property that could potentially have a business spin-off or serve as a very beautiful established homestead.”
- 137 Dunn Road, in Ararimu, Franklin, goes to auction on March 12
