- The unique home at 64 Marama Avenue South features a dome-shaped dining room called the “pizza oven”.
- Designed by architect John McCulloch, the house was bought by Elmaire and Deon Le Grange in 2022.
- The Le Granges are selling to downsize, with Otatara praised for its tranquil lifestyle and school zone.
Is it a UFO? Is it an igloo? No, it’s a pizza oven, or at least that’s what the owners of 64 Marama Avenue South, in the Invercargill suburb of Otatara, call the quirky dining room attached to their two-bedroom home.
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The dining room itself is a nod to New Zealand’s past obsession with domes, while the house is part time-warp, part retreat.
The house was designed by the Invercargill architect behind ILT Stadium Southland, and is so distinctive that none of its past owners felt the need to change the vibe.
It’s been in the care of Elmarie and Deon Le Grange since 2022, when they bought it for $635,000.
Elmarie told OneRoof that the couple were surprised when they first visited the property, adding that the last thing they expected back then was to buy such a unique home.
The couple have named the dome-shaped add-on to their home as the "pizza oven". Photo / Supplied
They bought the property in 2022 for $635,000. Photo / Supplied
Elmarie said the couple moved from Christchurch to Invercargill for her work. “And what an amazing move it was,” she said. “We found this lovely, lovely house. When you turn off the road, you are literally in a forest because there are ferns and tendrils and tall trees and wild birdlife.”
Elmarie said she loves to tell people that the house is only a seven-minute drive from the centre of town and only five minutes from the airport, although “the insulation of the forest [means] we don’t hear aeroplanes overhead”.
But it’s the dome-shaped dining room off the main wooden house that raises eyebrows.
“When I first came to the house, I thought ‘What the heck, what’s this thing?’,” Elmarie said, referring to the white dome room. “But you know what? That is my favourite spot in the house. It’s our dining room, and we call it the pizza oven because it looks like a pizza oven.
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“You go into that room, and it is so beautiful. It has these huge windows that look straight out into the trees, not the bottom of the trees, in the middle. That’s where we have our meals. It’s something unique and different.”
The history of the home is a bit of a mystery. Elmarie had heard that it was commissioned by a conservationist who used to build tramping huts, but she had not been able to verify the information.
Plans for the home show it was built for Gordon and Betty Crowther, and designed by local architect John McCulloch, of Stadium Southland fame.
McCulloch died tragically in 2024 in a boating accident in Riverton. According to reports following his death, McCulloch enjoyed tramping and had designed a wide range of commercial and residential projects, including Stadium Southland, Celtic columns in Invercargill city centre and Te Hikoi Museum in Riverton.
The original house plans. The house is the work of local architect John McCulloch, who also drew up plans for Stadium Southland. Photo / Supplied
The house is surrounded by native bush and sits on a 4173sqm section. Photo / Supplied
His plans for 64 Marama Avenue South show his artistic touch; he drew a VW Beetle in the home’s unusual carport and added clothing and shoes to the sketches of the wardrobe.
The Le Granges told OneRoof they were selling up to downsize and retire. “That’s why we’re moving. We’ll stay in the Southland area. We love the Southland people and the community feel here.”
Bayleys listing agent Dion Cameron said Otatara was a popular spot for buyers thanks to its favourable school zone. “It’s only a few minutes from town, but it provides a really beautiful lifestyle. It’s very tranquil and quite special. It’s definitely popular amongst families and executives.”
He added that Otatara offered residents a chance to live in privacy, surrounded by birdsong and ancient trees, including mataī, rimu and miro.
The two-bedroom, one-bathroom home sits on a 4173sqm section and has an RV of $720,000.
- 64 Marama Avenue South, Otatara, Invercargill, is for sale, deadline closing June 30
