Embracing Waiheke’s pristine southeastern coastline, this 18.78ha landholding holds pride of place in the island’s history and presents a rare combination of scale, location and rich character.
630 Gordons Road has been held in the Gordon family for generations, with the family’s history on Waiheke dating back to the 1860s, when William Gordon moved there from Auckland after arriving on the Excelsior from Northern Ireland in 1858.
Today it is one of Waiheke’s most significant remaining parcels, with elevated pasture and established native bush cascading all the way to the water’s edge. The original family homestead remains at the heart of the property, elevated above the water and presented in largely original condition.
A driveway arrives down at the waterfront, where a second, three-bedroom dwelling and boatshed are nestled within the shoreline, along with the historic woolshed.
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With a beautifully sheltered bay, a kilometre of beachfront and celebrating a true connection with the water, the landmark property is now ready for the next custodian to begin their family legacy.
History buffs will recognise how firmly entrenched this land is within Waiheke’s rugged past, with a timeline spanning more than a century. The Gordon family moved to Awaawaroa in the 1890s, where William was appointed postmaster in 1900.
The family’s guesthouse, situated on the neighbouring property, also housed the Awaawaroa Post Office and telephone exchange.
In the early 1890s, the family operated the Awaawaroa Guesthouse, (located on the neighbouring property) which accommodated 100 guests and the working woolshed, which is still standing on the property today.
This became a venue for dances, weddings, church services and gatherings for prominent visitors.
Guests would arrive by steamship at the Awaawaroa Bay wharf in their finery and walk around the shoreline to their destination, which can be seen in historical photographs from the time.
A second, three-bedroom dwelling and boatshed are nestled within the shoreline, along with the historic woolshed. Photo / Supplied
The property is one of Waiheke’s most significant remaining parcels, with elevated pasture and established native bush cascading all the way to the water’s edge. Photo / Supplied
The Gordons farmed the land for decades, with William’s grandson, the late, lifelong Waiheke resident Colin Gordon, taking over the family farm in the early 1950s.
He built Gordons Road himself and has said on the Nga Pataka Korero – Auckland Libraries podcast that his motivation was so that his five children didn’t have to go to boarding school and that the family could travel around the island without having to do so by boat.
He originally metalled the road by hand with shell off the beach at Rocky Bay and in later years, acquired a lot of metal from the Rocky Bay Quarry to keep the road working.
Scott Gordon, son of Colin, recalls early life on the island.
“We had a set of cattle yards up the head of the bay. Cattle and sheep were loaded on to barges and we towed them over to the mainland and landed them onto beaches at Kellys Creek,” he shares.
“Dad became a commercial fishermen to supplement the farm’s income and I did the same, fishing out of those sheds on the beach there. I still love the fishing – you just sit in an armchair and cast your rod out there and catch fish off the beach.”
Although he’s seen major changes on the island over the decades, Scott embraces the new Waiheke and says it still retains the tight-knit community feel that has kept the Gordons here for well over 100 years.
“Every day when I go down to the beach I’m saying goodbye to the place, it’s beautiful,” says Scott Gordon. Photo / Supplied
The original family homestead remains at the heart of the property, elevated above the water and presented in largely original condition. Photo / Supplied
This is the last piece left of the original Gordon legacy. “Every day when I go down to the beach I’m saying goodbye to the place, it’s beautiful.”
Tracy Martin from Bayleys is selling the property with Mana Tahapehi and says the opportunity here is unprecedented.
“Where else do you get over one kilometre of waterfront property still on the island that you can purchase? It’s pretty amazing and the beachfront is next level,” she says.
This rare coastal holding is expected to appeal to discerning buyers seeking privacy, substantial waterfront land and the opportunity to create a lasting family retreat. Its scale, sheltered coastline and rich history offer something increasingly difficult to find on Waiheke Island.
The existing buildings offer a wealth of possibilities – from restoring and preserving elements of the original villa or building an architectural masterpiece on the building platform above and maximising the spectacular sea views.
“Even the historic woolshed offers wonderful possibilities. It’s such a special part of the property’s history, and there’s so much potential to bring it back to life.”
630 Gordons Road on Waiheke Island is for sale by private treaty, deadline December 3.
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