Pioneering lakeside home set to change hands after three generations in the family

One of the first homes built on the shores of Rotorua’s Lake Okareka – back in the 1950s when its ground-breaking owners were some of the first settlers to commute into town from what was then considered a ‘backwater’ – has been placed on the market for sale.

The Lake Okareka residence has been home to the same family for three generation since being built in the early 1950s.

Martin and Peggie Bannister purchased the property in 1952. At the time it was an undeveloped section covered in bush.

They fell in love with the lake on first site and were not daunted by the relative isolation, or by the salesperson imploring them to reconsider buying in what they termed a ‘backwater’.

Martin, who studied architecture prior to switching to a career in botany, designed the house, carefully ensuring there would be plenty of space for a growing family. He and Peggie lived in two ex-army huts on the property while the house was being built. The huts were later shifted next door when Martin’s brother purchased the neighbouring property.

The house was designed with minimum impingement of the lakefront, allowing Martin and Peggie to enjoy daily observation of native wildlife from their garden – including tui, korimako (bellbird), ducks, tete (grey teal), weweia (dabchick), matuku (bittern) and matata (fernbirds) on the lake.

Their children learnt to row amongst the rushes, catching tadpoles and fishing. A night trip to the glow worm cave was a favourite treat for visitors.

At the time, the road connecting Lake Okareka to Rotorua was largely unsealed, and Martin initially made the arduous trip down the bush-lined track to his work as a tree researcher at the Forest Research Institute by bicycle. These days Lake Okareka is an easy 15-minute commute by car.

After 60 years of ownership, descendents of the original family are selling up, giving a new owner the opportunity to establish a family home.

The Lake Okareka property has been placed on the market for sale by Bayleys and will be auctioned on October 11. Marketing the property for sale is Bayleys Rotorua salesperson Jenny Donne.

Ms Donne said the property presented the opportunity to renovate on or subdivide the site, or continue to use the property a treasured family home as it has been for the past 60 years.

“At 3192 square metres, this is the last double section property with an old dwelling on the peninsula, and was originally designed to maximise the stunning views over the lake and surrounding hills,” she said.

The 189 square metre home features two double bedrooms, a separate study, a generous-sized lounge with gas heating and spacious kitchen and dining area. The property also features a stand alone studio or bunk house – for teenagers or guests.

In 1999 a purpose built wet bathroom was created off the master bedroom after Martin was confined to a wheelchair after suffering an accident while pruning one of the trees in his garden.

“The property has seen three generations of the family grow up at the lake and has been also used by the great grand-children as a place to go for holidays,” Ms Donne said.

“As the years went by, other families arrived to take up permanent residence at the lake. Okareka changed from mostly unoccupied holiday homes to a small suburban community where everyone knows each other and watches out for one another.”