Vineyards, Boating, Beaches: Life on Waiheke Island, New Zealand

For those looking to escape but not too far, Waiheke Island might be just the answer

Living on an island sounds like a dream until you think through the logistics of getting there and back. For people with these concerns, Waiheke Island in northern New Zealand is an answer. It has a slower pace than the mainland but is close enough to the major city of Auckland for working professionals to commute.

The island also has a large number of local and overseas second-home owners who visit at certain times of the year and, in some cases, rent their homes out when they are away.

There is not one set of traffic lights on the island. And its properties boast vineyards, animal pastures, private beaches and boating facilities.

There is no road access to the island, but a ferry terminal in Matiatia Bay is just over 20 kilometers from the central city terminal in Auckland, a journey which takes about 35 minutes.

Auckland professionals who live on the island “turn off every evening on the ferry and watch the city disappear on the horizon,” said Jeff Hazell, a broker with Ray White Waiheke.

Waiheke has a range of property types and prices and draws a broad spectrum of people, but the common thread is a desire for a calmer life, Mr. Hazell said.

“The common factor amongst all is a desire to slow down a gear, to be themselves and to have a refuge from the modern world,” Mr. Hazell said.

Some buyers are professionals who commute to work on the ferry, and there are also “mega rich” individuals seeking anonymity, Bayleys broker Clive Lonergan said.

In fact, Waiheke Island has developed a reputation in recent years as a playground for the rich and famous, helped by visits from celebrities including pop star Lady Gaga, chef Gordon Ramsay, actors Charlize Theron and Jack Nicholson, and former “Top Gear” host Jeremy Clarkson.

But the island also has a range of local celebrities who call it home, including former news presenter John Hawkesby, former All Blacks rugby coach Graham Henry, and businessman Peter “The Mad Butcher” Leitch, who founded a chain of butcheries.

Mr. Lonergan said waterfront homes on the Eastern side of the island on land allotments of four to eight hectares (10 to 20 acres) go for between NZ$5 million and NZ$8 million (US$3.6 million to US$5.7 million). Some have private beaches.

Houses range from “old-style holiday homes from back in the 1950s” to large, luxury estates, he said.

He has a contract on a home which he said will set a new sales record on the island if it the sale goes ahead. It is for Te Rere Cove–a 13.9 hectare (34 acre) waterfront estate in Church Bay with two titles allowing the construction of a second home. It has an 1,800-square-meter (around 19,000-square-foot) new six-bedroom home designed by architect Bryce Ardern, and a 2.4 hectare (six acre) vineyard growing syrah, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and pinot gris grapes. There is a barrel room, cellar and fermentation facilities, and the home also has its own small beach. The property was marketed with a price guide of $22 million (US$15.7 million), and the sale price if it goes ahead, while confidential, is in that ballpark, he said.

The most popular homes for wealthy buyers are waterfront estates, Mr. Lonergan said. Some have private jetties and boating facilities, others have grazing fields for cattle and vineyards. Palm Beach, Oneroa Beach and Onetangi Beach are popular because they face north, giving them good sunlight through the winter.

Photo: Luxury Portfolio International

Photo: Luxury Portfolio International

A Challenge for Foreign Buyers to Purchase

It has always been challenging for foreigners to buy property in Waiheke, as it is classified as sensitive land and therefore foreign purchases require government approval.

And there is some indication new changes to foreign ownership rules by the New Zealand government—which banned foreigners buying existing homes—have caused prices to fall on the island.

“Prices were getting ridiculously high into last year, but now there has been a correction and it’s settling down,” Lonergan says. “In some cases prices have dropped, in others they have stayed static.”

Buying there is not impossible as a foreigner, though, Mr. Hazell said.

“These restrictions have always applied to high-end and sensitive property in New Zealand, and there is a process in place where overseas buyers can apply for a dispensation to purchase,” Hazell says. “We have helped clients successfully navigate this process.”

Photo: Luxury Portfolio International

Photo: Luxury Portfolio International

Why It’s So Popular

The area has a comfortable sub-tropical climate that rarely dips below 9 degrees Celsius (48 degrees Fahrenheit) in winter and averages 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit) in the peak of summer.

Mr. Lonergan said the island’s population swells in the summer due to its slow pace and the popularity of its beaches.

Access to the mainland is easy with regular ferry services throughout the day, including a vehicular ferry that can take cars.

There are lots of places to eat and imbibe. The popular Tantalus Estate in Onetangi serves its own wine, has a small batch brewery on-site called Alibi Brewing Co., and has a popular restaurant that serves local seasonal produce. Other popular vineyard restaurants are Mudbrick, StoneyRidge and Te Whau. 

The Courtyard Restaurant and Garden Bar offers more informal dining and serves house-made pasta, salami, seafood and other Italian and international dishes.

Small boutiques are clustered around Oceanview Road in Oneroa, selling surf-wear, clothing, jewelry and wine.

The Waiheke Golf Club, about a 10-minutes drive from Oneroa, has 11 holes played from 18 tee blocks.

Mr. Hazell added that the fishing is great in the Hauraki Gulf, bringing in mostly snapper and kahawai but “occasionally kingfish if I’m lucky.”