An extraordinary coastal Northland property in a deceased estate an hour northeast of Whangārei is being offered for sale in several titles in late April and early May.
Known as the Webb family farm at Ngahau Bay, the total of 660 hectares has pristine beach frontage, conservation covenants, grazing blocks, farm forestry, regenerating native cover and four titles on the largest block of 480ha.
The whole property was farmed for most of their lives by three Webb bachelor brothers, Neville and twins Brian and Peter, until they died within months of each other last year.
Their parents, Aileen and Jack, had bought the property more than a century ago and had the three sons and four daughters.
Two younger generations of the family have since enjoyed holidaying at Ngahau Bay, with a 1980s bach on 5ha including mature beachfront pohutukawa.
That part of the estate is bordered by the Mimiwhangata nature reserve on the south side and Helena Bay resort to the north.
In 1970 Queen Elizabeth, aboard the yacht Britannia, visited the coast and picnicked ashore at Mimiwhangata, run as a farm by the Department of Conservation.
More recently Russian oligarch Alexander Abramov built a $50 million lodge and resort on 325ha at Helena Bay, which opened for guests in 2016.
Agent Lin Norris of Bayleys Whangarei said the Webb family had fiercely pushed back on multiple offers to purchase the property over the years.
“It is unlikely any purchaser would be likely to want to move on, once they have secured such a spot.”
The 5ha coastal holiday property and a nearby 73ha title with development opportunities will be auctioned on May 1.
An additional 101ha block for auction also offers similar opportunities for building and is currently run as a grazing block.
Of the entire property further inland, the largest block of 480ha comprises four titles that offer a range of recreational and development opportunities.
Those four titles are subject to tender offers by April 30.
“One of these blocks, consisting of 102ha, has the original Webb family homestead upon it, still in remarkably good order but needing some love and repair work,” Norris said.
“Built from timber felled on the property, the home includes four bedrooms and features the characters of a typical 1920s bungalow design.
“Other buildings on the title include some near-new cattle yards and a disused walk-through cow shed, while water is sourced from a stony bottom stream and supplied via pumps to a new 25,000 litre storage tank.”
Much of the property has reverted to scrub and mānuka that provides income through beehives and the potential to regenerate native bush and generate carbon credits.
