Tiny cottage, big history

Paeata Cotter in front of her restored Devonport pioneer cottage. Photo / Doug Sherring

Restored 1850s cottage was kept in settler family for nearly 150 years.

New Zealand's smallest surviving pioneer cottage is for sale - and is expected to fetch far more than its estimated 30 purchase price.

Built in 1850, McKenzie Cottage on Albert Rd, in Auckland's Devonport, is on the market. A renovation at the rear has transformed the tiny one-bedroom settlers' cottage into a three-bedroom, two-bathroom family home.

While researching the property's history, current owners Paeata and David Cotter found it had been in the same family for nearly 150 years until 1991.

The original owner, farmer Richard Dunne, is buried across the road at the historic Mt Victoria Cemetery and his wife and children are buried at nearby O'Neill's Point cemetery.

"The history is fascinating," she said. "There is quite a bit written about Richard Dunne because he was active in the community and was outspoken at council meetings."

Court records showed Dunne was fined "one shilling and costs" for "allowing his horse to wander along Victoria St". He often annoyed officials at ratepayers meetings with persistent questions.

A branding iron with the initials "RD" was recently found at the neighbouring property that was once part of the original farm.

The farmer and road builder from Ireland was married to Jessie and had three daughters and a son.

His youngest daughter, Sarah, married Donald McKenzie and they had a daughter, Gladys McKenzie, who lived at McKenzie Cottage until her death in 1991.

The land was originally gifted to the council by local chief Eru Pataoune, who is also buried at Mt Victoria cemetery.

Barfoot & Thompson agent Sue Harrison said a local builder bought the cottage in 1992 and "meticulously restored and extended it". She described the home as "exquisite and quaint in equal measures".

The cottage is opposite Mt Victoria and is on a cross-leased section of 871sq m. It has a CV of $700,000.

The house is to be sold by tender on October 21.

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