Listing | 107 Hinemoa Street, Birkenhead Point
Open Homes | Sat/Sun – 2.00pm – 2.30pm
Auction | Sunday 11th August – OnSite – 3pm
Agent | Travers Smyth – M: 027 872 377

While Justine Marsden loves her family’s long history with Birkenhead, it was the opportunity to create a modern, resort-like contemporary home amid character residences which appealed. She says:“My grandfather and great-grandfather worked at Chelsea Sugar Works all their lives and my mother grew up around here. “But we like a modern aesthetic in houses so it was the opportunity to re-build a 1960s house which attracted us.”

Justine and husband Alan McMeiken have lived here since 2004 with their children. Both kids are no longer at home, son Max doing industrial design and daughter Lauren studying musical theatre in Brisbane.

Commercial lighting designer Justine says: “In 2007 we pretty much did a new build using the same footprint, seeing the previous house was so well-orientated onsite for sun and views. “It’s got tighter in these heritage areas to build this type of home; if we’d built it later we’d have had to have pitched roofs.”

This property at 107 Hinemoa Street, Birkenhead, is scheduled for auction on Sunday, August 11.

The couple, who own a corporate fruit business, appreciate being just across the road from cafes, restaurants, the local coffee roaster, and dairy. They frequent Chelsea Sugar Factory’s cafe Sugar, take their two dogs to a beach down Telephone Road and have the Birkenhead ferry 10-minutes’walk away.

“We’re a $10 Uber ride from Ponsonby” says Justine. “People often have little idea what’s instore behind our front wall and then are surprised to come in and find it’s like an oasis. “It’s on the warm side of Hinemoa and is really private even though its expansive.”

Inside the front gate the tempo slows with a boardwalk entry into the two-storey weatherboard home with views including Le Roys Bush, Bayswater Marina, Devonport, Great Barrier and the Sky Tower. Their two-car, internal-access garage (with new laundry) is fronted by two off-street parks.

Architect Jason Gibson masterminded their rebuild, creating a boomerang-shaped home with an additional upper wing at a different angle. Entering the oversized front door into a wide foyer it’s obvious he delivered openness and sunlight.

The foyer angles subtly into the generous living-dining-kitchen with elevated views, walnut floors and gas fireplace supplementing this level’s ducted heating. La Bella Kitchens designed the new kitchen, integrating Blum Legra box drawers and supported by a walk-in pantry. There’s easy flow out to patio dining over looking the heated pool. “Alan and I joke ‘we’re going to the bach.’

“Then we head out to the pool-house which has Sky TV, blue-tooth stereo, a wet-bar with fridge and dishdrawers, a loo and an outdoor fireplace. “When the kids had teenage parties out there we could quietly keep an eye from the house.” Justine says:“Basically this whole side to the north opens up to the pool.” There’s a media room and guest bedroom. Across the hall is a powder room, Justine’s office and, nearby, a family bathroom.

The recently re-carpeted upper bedroom wing includes the elevated aster with en suite, walk-in-wardrobe and bi fold windows. A lounge (formerly the children’s playspace) separates the master from two more bedrooms that share an ensuite.
Abundant storage includes a workshop-art studio under the house.

Harcourts agent Travers Smyth says: “This house is beautifully wrapped around its pool with layout options to suit either a young family or those with older children.”