An iconic Kerikeri property struck a chord with a couple looking for the perfect Bay of Islands home, in which to raise their young family.
Peter, who is originally from Zimbabwe, met his Kiwi wife Tanya in the United Kingdom and after their first child was born the couple decided to move permanently to Tanya’s hometown of Kerikeri.
“It turned out to be easier said than done. We came back and forth for holidays and looked at loads of properties, but nothing combined the character we were looking for with the flat outdoor space that we wanted and the proximity to town,” says Peter.
However, not long after returning to Oxfordshire in 2009, after yet another house-hunting expedition, Tanya’s mother called to tell them about a 7501sqm property she had spotted in Kerikeri’s popular Rainbow Falls Road. It sounded ideal – and certainly looked good in photos.
Start your property search
“So, I left Tanya with the two children – including our new baby, and I jumped on a plane back to New Zealand. As soon as I saw the house and the surroundings, I put in an offer for the full asking price and just a few hours later it was ours,” says Peter.
When Tanya finally saw her new home, she was just as besotted and says that their love affair with 39 Rainbow Falls Road has never waned over 18 years.
“One of the things we were drawn to, was the sheer scale of the place and the commitment to quality,” says Peter.
“The house is around 380sqm and very well-built. Everything about it is super-sized, including the bedrooms – and we joke that even the hallway could be wide enough for a couple of wheelchairs, so the couple who built it must have been planning seriously for their future!”
The 358sqm residence on a 7501sqm block has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, garaging and multiple living areas. Photo / Supplied
The owners have maintained the home meticulously with a thoughtful $250,000-plus renovation. Photo / Supplied
Bayleys agent David Baguley: “This is a unique property with lots of character and it’s quite a local landmark. The grounds are lovely and it’s just a short distance to town.” Photo / Supplied
The house lies over a single level. It has four bedrooms and three bathrooms and a RV of $1.75 million. While the couple have maintained it meticulously, they have also renovated it thoughtfully, spending more than $250,000 to combine its old-style building values with the open, airy feel of a 2026 Kiwi family home.
During the Covid period they embarked on a major piece of work that saw a wall between the kitchen and living room removed in order to achieve a relaxed open plan layout. As a bonus, they were able to convert the room that had previously been a standalone dining room into a second living room.
“It was money well spent – we are absolutely thrilled with the result,” says Peter.
While there is plenty of space for installing a pool in the parklike grounds, Peter and Tanya decided to buy a boat instead and it is kept in the giant boatshed, just steps away from the house.
“It made perfect sense since we’re so close to Waipapa Landing and just 15 minutes by boat into the Bay of Islands proper,” he says.
The owners removed a wall between the kitchen and living room to achieve a relaxed open-plan layout. Photo / Supplied
While there is plenty of space to install a pool, the owners decided to buy a boat instead and it is kept in the giant boatshed, just steps away from the house. Photo / Supplied
“And while I imagined myself on a ride-on mower, taking care of the lawn, we’ve actually ended up with a couple of robots doing that work for us so there’s more time to take the boat out!”
Now that their children are leaving the nest, Peter and Tanya have exciting plans for the next stage of their lives – thus the bittersweet decision to sell.
David Baguley, who is marketing the property, says that homes so close to the beautiful Rainbow Falls are tightly held. “This is a unique property with lots of character and it’s quite a local landmark. The grounds are lovely and it’s just a short distance to town.”
39 Rainbow Falls Road in Kerikeri, Far North, goes to auction on November 5.
- Sponsored by Bayleys
