Aussies interested in Hillary's home

Sir Ed built the house and lived in it until he died. Photo / Supplied

They've claimed Phar Lap, Crowded House and even taken our national dessert, pavlova, as their own.

Now it appears Australians are muscling in on attempts to save the Remuera home Sir Ed Hillary built and lived in until his death.

The house has been at the centre of a tug-of-war since it was bought by neighbour Terry Jarvis for $1.9 million last March. Moves to demolish it sparked a public outcry, and Jarvis received several offers from people keen to move it to a new site.

In December, it was decided the house should be given to Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate in Otara to be set up as a leadership centre.

The move was to be have been part-funded with a contribution from the Government, but Jarvis said the Prime Minister's office turned him down after claiming it would cost $660,000.

"I sent them back an email and said GJ Gardner would be able to build two entire houses with that. I believe the project could be completed with about $200,000-$250,000.

"To say yes and to string the school along and string me along, that is really disgraceful. I'd love to see it go to the school, but if it doesn't I don't know what's going to happen."

Maarten Wevers, chief executive of the PM's office, said the Government had only ever been prepared to part-fund the move. "The first figure mentioned to me was $120,000 and I said the Crown might be able to make a contribution towards that. Even if we paid half of that, that would have been a generous contribution."

Jarvis said he may be forced to look across the Tasman if the deal falls through. "There are some Australian people interested. A guy phoned me about three months ago and I said, 'well, actually, I have already committed it to the school'.

"But I am off to Sydney tonight so I will catch up with them over there."

Although not thrilled about the idea, he said selling it to the Aussies was "probably better than knocking it down".

Told the house might fall into Australian hands, Lady June Hillary said she was "quite surprised".

"I will probably hear something when it's all over but I don't know anything at all. I have absolutely no idea."

Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate commissioner Gail Thomson was still hopeful corporate backers could be found to shift the house to the Otara high school.