- A five-bedroom waterfront home at Cooks Beach with an RV of $3 million is for sale.
- Merv Gardiner from Richardsons expects interest from holidaymakers, noting the area's historical and scenic appeal.
- Cooks Beach properties are selling faster post-Cyclone Gabrielle, with prices lower than Pauanui and Whangamatā.
A large waterfront Lockwood home with an RV of $3 million has hit the market at Cooks Beach.
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The five-bedroom house at 137 Captain Cook Road boasts 180-degree views of Mercury Bay, and the agent selling it expects plenty of interest from holidaymakers.
Merv Gardiner, from Richardsons, told OneRoof that the house, like most of the homes along the waterfront in Cooks Beach, was built in the 1990s, although some date from the 1960s, when South Auckland onion and potato growers from places like Pukekohe and Tuakau bought sections in the Coromandel town.
He said the bay, which sits between Hahei and Whitianga, was largely protected by the nearby peninsula, meaning the beach was calm and safe.
The property at 137 Captain Cook Road is in good condition and offers clear views of the bay. Photo / Supplied
It has been cherished by the same family for over three decades and sits on a 812sqm section. Photo / Supplied
A lot of the streets in the town are named after 18th century British explorer Captain Cook and the ships he sailed on, such as Endeavour Place and Resolution Drive. “It’s all a nautical-type theme, and [there’s] a monument down at the end of Captain Cook Road to James Cook,” Gardiner said.
While there is debate as to whether Cook set foot on the spot named after him, Gardiner said sailors did row up the estuary and gathered oysters and pipis.
People buying into the settlement were buying into history, he said, noting that the house he was selling had been well maintained and was in a prime location.
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“It hasn't had a huge amount of use, so it still looks brand new, and Lockwoods last forever. It’s just beautifully done and in a pretty good spot for views out to the water," he said.
“You're right on the water’s edge. You can surf cast off the lawn and catch a snapper.”
Gardiner expects a lot of interest, especially as the settlement swells in the summer with visitors. He said the Coromandel remained as popular as ever, though the Cooks Beach market had been through a quiet patch.
The road to Cooks Beach and Hahei was damaged during Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023. Photo / Mike Scott
“We had Cyclone Gabrielle, which put a dent in the road. The town was a bit hard to access for a while, and then the economy slowed things down.
“But everything is picking up again. You can just see a change. Properties are selling a little bit quicker now, and more people are coming to the beach.”
Most of the buyers were looking for a holiday home, but the town has a permanent population of around 600 people. There’s a dairy, said Gardiner, a hardware store, a liquor store, and some of "nicest restaurants you’ll find around”.
The baches are also cheaper than those in Pauanui and Whangamatā, where beach homes can fetch upwards of $5 million.
At the affordable end of the Cooks Beach market is 37A Hardy Place, a two-bedroom bach for sale for $729,000. Photo / Supplied
On for under $1m, is a three-bedroom townhouse at 3A Oyster Drive. Photo / Supplied
The most affordable property Gardiner has on his books in Cooks Beach was 7A Hardy Place, a two-bedroom, 50sq m home which is less than 200 metres to the beach and has a $729,000 price tag.
It has plenty of lawn to pitch a few tents and is large enough have a good gathering, Gardiner said.
Gardiner also has a three-bedroom townhouse for sale for $975,000 at 3A Oyster Drive in the town.
He said the lock-up-and-leave house was nicely finished and only 60 metres from the beach. “This one has water views from the upstairs lounge, but as far as walking to the beach, it's just out the door and a few paces and you're there.”
Gardiner said he discovered Cooks Beach in the late 1990s and fell in love. “I'd been camping and staying at places like Whitianga, but this was just more me. It's a bit quieter, and it's just such a beautiful, safe beach and for fishing, there's no bar to go through if you've got a boat. It’s easy to go out, and there's a really good boat ramp there.”
Listings have improved after falling from about 50 this time last year to the late 20s. People were selling for a variety of reasons; some were now in their 80s and needed to be closer to medical centres.
“Others have had small businesses which have struggled over the last couple of years, so the bach is one thing that they can move on and take the pressure off.”
Gardiner says Cooks Beach also has a limited release of sections for sale at Ara Matā, ranging in price from $500,000 to $750,000, but the geography of the area means the township will never be built out.
“It will always remain quite a small area because we haven't gotten much room,” Gardiner said.
- 137 Captain Cook Road, Cooks Beach, Thames-Coromandel, is for sale, deadline closing January 30
