It is not often you see a canvas tent guiding for seven figures, but a unique listing on Great Barrier Island is proving that location really is everything.
A “safari-style” glamping retreat at 403 Shoal Bay Road is up for sale by negotiation, with a price guide that might make mainlanders blink: between $925,000 and $1,000,000.
While the idea of a million-dollar tent might sound extreme, Barfoot & Thompson agent Mike Jensen says buyers need to look past the canvas. The real value lies in a rarity on the island: absolute waterfront.
Jensen told OneRoof.co.nz that while many properties claim to be waterfront, most still have a road separating the bach from the beach.
“I would say that on the island in total there would be probably less than 30 properties that actually walked down and touched the beach – you think they’re everywhere, but they really just don’t exist,” Jensen told the outlet. “I think the best feature of the property, without a doubt, is that it’s absolutely waterfront.”
The property has a Rateable Value (RV) of $940,000, but Jensen was quick to dismiss the council valuations as a reliable metric for the island’s unique market.
Speaking frankly about the numbers, Jensen told Stuff.co.nz that the RVs on the island are very inaccurate.
“They give no indication of a property’s value, which it’s pretty disappointing for us to work with,” he told Stuff.
The agent’s dismissal of the council valuation follows widespread criticism of the island’s latest CVs. At the last valuation, Aotea Great Barrier recorded the highest percentage increase in property values across the entire Auckland region, leaving many locals facing brutal rates hikes based on what they argued were inflated paper values.
Jensen noted that a nearby A-frame house—which had a road between it and the water—sold for $750,000, while the waterfront “Tryphena House” in the same bay sold for $1.95 million.
The property is not exactly a standard camping setup. The 59sqm permanent tent structure features flooring, a large bedroom, living area, and elevated decking.
Crucially, the “service” side of the property is high-end architecture. A raw timber utility block housing the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry was designed by award-winning Herbst Architects.
Jensen told OneRoof the property also features one of the best outdoor baths on the island.
“Most people just have a bathtub down on the ground somewhere, but that’s been designed and built to a really high standard. It’s very attractive.”
The property is located at the southern end of Gooseberry Flat and is currently renting on Airbnb for approximately $886 for two nights. Jensen notes the foundations are engineered to allow for a formal house to be erected in the future if desired.
