Seclusion amid garden serenity right on harbour’s edge

Around Tauranga's city harbour, various locations completely change the dynamics of the views they offer. In this case, it's not simply the scenery; it's the setting. The house melts into this site to instil an intimate connection with nature and the water.

Towering palms set the tone for this sub-tropical oasis - all cleverly landscaped in line with the sloping site. Tiered gardens, paths and sleeper-edged steps create a magical hideaway, filled with birdsong and colour. Gazing out from the balcony deck, trees frame the serenity and puncture the view. It stretches across the harbour to embrace a panorama from Windermere to Maungatapu.

Water laps at the bottom of the garden to offer a place to picnic, launch the kayak at high tide and fossick in the sand at low tide. There's even a walkway out by the front gate that meanders around this harbour inlet.

For anyone working in the city; this is a brilliant location. It's near the hospital and Fraser Cove. Main schools are within a small circle and it's a short hop to arterial routes downtown or across the causeway to outer suburbs.

The house has adapted with the times over the years - extension and refurbishment keeping it in tune with contemporary living. The exterior has been freshly painted to eliminate any thoughts of major maintenance. Personal taste will be the only factor in making any changes inside.

It's a large house - five bedrooms, two living areas, dining corner, small study and more. There's the family lounge with its free-standing log fire; a formal lounge with inbuilt gas fire; plus a dining corner and modern kitchen in between. Views from each area gaze out to the water and garden, while the balcony is like sitting on the captain's bridge.

Bedrooms downstairs have their own outlooks, but it's the master suite upstairs that commands the top view. It's a total retreat - spacious, with private a bathroom and walk-in wardrobe. Packed with features, additional facilities and a large workshop; life here is an escape. A world of seeming solitude - right in the heart of town.