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Poet Allen Curnow’s bach bought sight unseen; now listed after 24 years
Originally a one-room bach, this property was home to the late poet Allen Curnow from 1963 till his death in 2001.
AI summary
The historic Karekare bach of celebrated New Zealand poet Allen Curnow is on the market. The current owner, Brendan Donovan, purchased the property sight unseen in 2002 and has carefully maintained it for over two decades.
This classic fibrolite bach has been thoughtfully updated while preserving its Mid-century character, featuring a replica 1960s kitchen alongside modern heat pumps. The property retains original elements, including Curnow's desk, offering a unique connection to New Zealand's literary history.
Over the years the bach grew - it now has two bedrooms and a spacious open-plan living area.
The large deck is essentially another room.
Flashback to 2002: Brendan Donovan holds a photo of the cottage as it first looked. Jeny is browsing through photo albums behind
Owner Brendan Donovan has maintained and improved the cottage over the past 24 years, all while preserving its original character.
The original floorboards and timber sarking are key features of the interior.
These photos of Allen and Jeny (in the original kitchen) are from a family album that Jeny showed Donovan shortly after he bought the house.
Even the furniture is in keeping with the Mid-century era.
Donovan says he slept in Curnow’s bed for years, but has since replaced it.
Allen Curnow’s fold-down desk remains in place on the wall of this bedroom - the owner, who works in the film industry, wrote a screenplay sitting at the desk.
The bathroom echoes the orange of the kitchen.
Allen Curnow published a collection of 10 poems in a book titled The Loop in Lone Kauri Road, which were based on his experience of living here
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