3 Signal Station Road, Pouto, Kaipara, Northland

The Kauri Kottage was once a Lighthouse Keeper’s residence, sharing a direct lineage with the Kaipara North Head Lighthouse. The Lighthouse itself is a registered Heritage New Zealand Place (Category 2) and the last wooden lighthouse built in the country. Both structures were crafted from the same local Kauri timber, forever binding them as guardians of Aotearoa’s coastal history.

Likely designed under the guidance of William Henry Clayton, New Zealand’s first and only Colonial Architect, this 100m² villa has been painstakingly restored. The result is a home of historic character that feels as solid and soulful today as it did more than a century ago.

To give you an authentic taste of this unique lifestyle, the owners of the Kauri Kottage are extending a free weekend stay as a final incentive for the first serious buyer who is ready to commit to a purchase. It's a chance to truly experience the home and the Pouto lifestyle firsthand.

The layout unfolds across three bedrooms, a hall with custom leadlight and a lounge where French doors spill onto a sun-soaked deck. The cast-iron fireplaces, antique wall phone, and intricate ceiling roses speak of an earlier era, while modern comforts blend seamlessly. The kitchen/dining area is anchored by a splashback crafted from a 1956 newspaper uncovered during renovations. The bathroom/laundry combines patterned tiles, antique fixtures, and modern functionality.

Set on 1120m², there are fruit trees, nut trees, berries, and raised vegetable beds, while flat lawns and expansive decks extend the living outdoors. Two high-access Colorsteel sheds with electric roller doors provide space for boats, tractors, or campervans, alongside garaging for multiple vehicles. Just 200m away, the new Pouto Wharf invites daily fishing, while Ripiro Beach delivers west-coast drama, shipwrecks revealed after storms, and the ultimate playground for 4WD adventures.

The question is, who will hold the legacy next?

Contact Megan Hetges to make it yours!