The old Awakino Post Office and postmaster's residence is up for sale. Photo: Supplied by RE/MAX Team Realty
A little slice of King Country history is up for sale at Awakino - permanent population 12.
Built in 1908, constructed of heart native timber and largely in original condition the old Awakino Post Office and postmaster's residence is on the market.
It has been lovingly restored by former Aucklander Garry Wycherley on behalf of his son Gregg who owns the building.
Wycherley said the old Awakino Post Office at 3 Gribben Street was a timeless classic.
"Built in 1908 it was the standard government formula for a small town post office. There's one in Kataia that's exactly the same in terms of the construction. We've actually got the original floor plan and building specifications from the old Ministry of Works.
"So, the front of the house was the local post office and the back of the building is where the postmaster or postmistress lived in a three bedroom house, a large three bedroom house."
Wycherley said the building was pretty much as it was in the early 1900s.
"It's all heart rimu and heart native timber, native rimu floors, original sash windows. The main lounge, which was the post office itself has a ceiling that's probably 14 feet [4.3m] high all native timber.
"There are fire places in two of the bedrooms and what was the post office area, so it's totally original in terms of the floor plan."
The building was constructed of native timber and has rimu floors. Photo: Supplied by RE/MAX Team Realty
Wycherley had previous history with renovating historic buildings in the village having renovated the Awakino General Store built in the 1880s which he now ran as the Awakino River Lodge.
He said the renovation of the old Awakino Post Office had a light touch.
"When I say renovated, the floor plan hasn't changed except what was originally the lounge is now a bedroom. We've just repainted and pulled all the carpets up and repolished all the floors, done some renovations to the kitchen.
"We've extended the kitchen and pushed it out into the backyard a bit and in terms of the backyard that's been totally rebuilt and we've got a really big courtyard there, so the back of the property has been turned into a French or Italian outdoor olive-tree style living area."
Few changes have been made to the original building, although the kitchen has been extended. Photo: Supplied by RE/MAX Team Realty
Wycherley said his granddaughter was a top amateur ballet dancer and the old post office was being sold to finance further ballet education for her in France.
In recent times the building has operated as an Airbnb. Photo: Supplied by RE/MAX Team Realty
The old post office would be perfect for someone wanting to escape the big city rat race, he said.
"It's on 1.2 hectares of land, it's a just about fully renovated heart timber villa built by real people. I think the foundations on it are about quadruple what's required now. It's got a very big outdoor area, it's got two bathrooms, two toilets and there's a local school only five kilometres away. It's only one hour to New Plymouth and two to Hamilton.
"It's the real deal country lifestyle. There's only 12 people that live in the Awakino Village, only about 15 houses."
It follows a typical plan for post offices at the time, which was to have the post office at the front of the building with a three bedroom residence at the back. Photo: Supplied by RE/MAX Team Realty
Wycherley said was also plenty to do.
"There's a fully operating reasonably high quality lawn bowling club, there's a local hall that's over 100 years old and fishing and hunting ... how much fish do you want?"
The old Awakino Post Office has more recently been run as an Airbnb.
It has a rateable value of $600,000.
It's being marketed through Re/Max New Zealand which is asking for offers to be in by 25 January.
