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‘Mum realised the only way we could ever have a decent holiday was to buy a crib’

Family beach crib bought in 1963 has remained in the family for 63 years.

Colleen Hawkes
Last updated: 7 October 2026 | 3 min read
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A cherished family crib in Warrington, near Dunedin, is for sale after 63 years. Purchased in 1963, the holiday home holds decades of memories for the Campbell family, who travelled there by train and bus.

The largely original three-bedroom home is one of the closest to the beach and has a unique history, believed to be constructed from repurposed local buildings. After generations of enjoyment, the family has decided it's time for new owners to create their own memories.

Innumerable weekends and summer holidays have been spent lazing on the veranda and playing games outside. Photo: Nidd Realty

Almost everything is original, including the concrete steps down to the lawn. The section is 840m². Photo: Nidd Realty

A roaring fire kept the family warm in winter. Photo: Nidd Realty

As with every ‘60s crib (or bach if you live in the north), the furniture has been a bit of this and a bit of that. The curtains are the original ones Ann Campbell made. Photo: Nidd Realty

The kitchen unit sits against one wall, and there are still wall-mounted taps. Photo: Nidd Realty

Bedrooms are lined with planks. Many boards around the house came from old railway buildings, including the Evansdale Railway Station. Photo: Nidd Realty

It is believed the bedrooms were originally “single men’s quarters” from up the road. Photo: Nidd Realty

The sleepout is fully lined with timber. Photo: Nidd Realty

The late Doug Campbell had many projects on the go back in the day and this is one of a collection of sheds on the property. Photo: Nidd Realty

Campbell says the dunes and the growth of marram grass have probably contributed to Warrington beach being “a couple of hundred metres” further out than it was in the 1960s. Photo: Nidd Realty

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Colleen Hawkes Colleen Hawkes
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