Whitford: Private world

As soon as they laid eyes on this idyllic lifestyle estate in Whitford, an English couple felt like they were coming home to Hampshire.

There was no doubt in their minds, Sue and Ian McLennan simply had to own Willowbank. Who couldn't fall in love with such a picture book setting? It's a property that sums up all the classic romance of charming, English, country serenity.

Forming a shady archway from the large iron security gates to the house, a procession of leafy green English plane trees lend privacy as well as a sense of welcome. Totally beguiling, the substantial, two-storey, white, weatherboard, traditional English manor house was built in 1903 as the original Winstone family home in Auckland.

Several years ago, the local Whitford dentist moved it from Victoria Ave in Remuera to its present spot on a large piece of land surrounded by lawn and pasture. The property borders a bird sanctuary on an estuary, but ponds were added in front. The McLennans have continued to plant trees, including several weeping willows around the edges, which makes them all the more alluring, especially for the birds and wild life.

Sue says she fell in love with the feeling of quality and the traditional character of the home. "All the nooks and crannies make it so special. It's a big house, but it's really easy to live in. The family area is big enough for [son] Luke to run around in and all the bedrooms are just the right size."

Coming from the UK, the McLennans have lots of guests to stay for long periods. The guest suite upstairs makes people feel as if they are on holiday, says Sue. "Everyone always feel relaxed here."

In the summer, the family have fun together taking tea under the arbour, which projects out from the front veranda that runs along the house. In early summer, it looks quite a picture laced in lilac wisteria.

A big family room and kitchen open through french doors on both sides, so it's always cool in summer. An enclosed area to the rear is handy for containing the family's dogs, keeping them close by so they don't meander through the paddocks.

Roaring fires offer traditional comfort in both the family sitting area and the timber-panelled and beamed lounge, though the house is easy to keep warm with underfloor central heating throughout.

Sue loves the way the house flows with an elegant dining room positioned between the family room and lounge. However, she appreciates having a separate kitchen where she can spread out without being on show. It's a generous farmhouse-style kitchen with a walk-in scullery for extra storage space. Drawers are beautifully detailed with checkerboard ceramic handles.

The formal entry is through a timber-panelled foyer with the guest bathroom featuring pretty original fittings off to one side.

Upstairs, the bedrooms are accessed by two sets of stairs, one so the children don't have to come through the formal part of the house. A gas fire in the master bedroom is a luxury that makes this area particularly inviting on wintry nights. Sue and Ian have their own dressing rooms. Sue's is part of a space behind the main bedroom linked to a storage area big enough to accommodate an en suite.

Built over the garaging, an enormous room with a pitched ceiling was designed as a children's play area. The floors are decked out in a playful checkerboard pattern. Part of this sunny area is used as Ian's office, but it has all sorts of possibilities, such as conversion to a granny or nanny flat.

In its own private world close to Pinehaven Marina and Formosa Golf Course, this quintessentially English property seems to have stepped straight out of a romantic 19th century novel. Yet it has everything today's family needs to make life enjoyable with many opportunities to develop it further.

Vital Statistics

ADDRESS: Willowbank, 41 Porterfield Rd, Whitford.

FEATURES: English manor house (circa 1903) on country estate; original character; beautiful trees, pasture and ponds; large formal and family living areas; four bedrooms including guest suite; two bathrooms plus guest bathroom; large playroom/office; three-car garaging plus farm equipment garage; central heating and real fires; gas fire in master suite; good storage.

SIZE: Land area 6.25ha.

TENDER CLOSES: December 10.

AGENT: Julie Parmenter, Barfoot & Thompson, Whitford. Ph 530 8292 bus; 021 982 210 mob.