Leigh: Blow me down!

This home on the hill with amazing views, once powered by a windmill, has been transformed into a barn-style family retreat.

John and Gillian Peebles like a challenge, and that's exactly what they got when they bought this property on a clifftop at Leigh, overlooking the Hauraki Gulf.

Much of the 22ha site was covered in scrub, the house was a shell, the shingle driveway was so steep only four-wheel-drive vehicles could get up it and the power source was a windmill.

"It wasn't for the faint-hearted," chuckles John.

The couple, who bought the place nine years ago to use as a weekend home and Suffolk sheep stud, set about transforming the property. They finished the house, landscaped the garden with native plants, put up fences and broke the land into five separate paddocks, each with water supply.

Getting the electricity put on took two years but made a huge difference, says John. "Our first Christmas in the place, we had no wind for 14 days. The diesel generator never let up."

Concreting the driveway down to the house also made life much easier. "We would have to tow out our guests' cars because they couldn't make it up the shingle drive," recalls John. "Now it's been concreted, there's no problem."

The house also required major work, including reinforcing and plastering the huge chimney, and decorating throughout. The end result is a stunning barn-style two-storey home that's a far cry from a typical weekend retreat.

For a start, it's enormous. Much of the house is on a grand scale, from the double-height lounge to the massive garage that can easily accommodate a boat and a car, and at the moment is also home to farm bikes and a grand piano. The main bedroom has two big his-n-hers dressing rooms, along with a double shower in the en suite. Altogether there are six bedrooms, a study, two bathrooms and three toilets, making it an ideal home in which to host guests. The mezzanine living area upstairs guarantees the owners their own private haven to escape to if they want some peace when there's a houseful of people.

The stylish kitchen has everything a gourmet cook could want, including a double oven, and the house is tastefully decorated throughout in neutral shades.

Outside, a large gazebo is the perfect spot for dining al fresco and one of the many places in and around the house for taking in the what has to be the most spectacular feature of the property - the breathtaking view.

In one direction you look north over Pakiri beach and up to Whangarei Heads. Turn the other way and you can see all the way south from Omaha to Auckland. "You can actually see the Sky Tower in the distance and at night the city lights look absolutely fantastic," says John.

"If the house had been painted it would have stood out for miles. We chose marine ply and battens. We think it fits into its surroundings and looks very natural."

John and Gillian have put a lot of thought into creating an outstanding lifestyle home, and now it's time for another challenge.

"I don't like to play golf, I like to take on projects," says John. "We're very happy with what we've achieved here and now we are ready to take on something else."

Vital Statistics

ADDRESS: 253 Rodney Rd, Leigh.

FEATURES: Home on 22ha: large two-storey lounge; modern kitchen; mezzanine living area; main bedroom with en suite and two dressing rooms; five further bedrooms plus study; two-and-a-half bathrooms; oversized garage; gazebo; extensive native planting; stunning views.

PRICE GUIDE: Interest expected around $1.6m.

AGENTS: Wendy Milne and Marie-Dominique Lennan, Harveys. Ph 09 425 8589 bus; Wendy 021 784 942 mob, Marie-Dominique 021 490 039 mob.