31 The Boulevard, Gisborne

Occupying nearly ½ acre, 'Strathfillan' is an exceptional family home with sanctuary-like grounds, where gracious family living meets rare convenience in one of Gisborne's most coveted locations.

Behind a white picket fence, the formal front garden offers the 1st glimpse of what awaits, with a fountain, sculptural Buxus topiary, a weeping cherry tree, and magnificent roses arranged with considered composition, with a beautiful veranda providing a place from which to linger and enjoy the gardens.

Inside, soaring ceilings with ornate rosettes and polished hardwood flooring establish an elegant sense of scale. The entry hall flows past a lounge to an expansive open living domain, where the kitchen is centred around a dedicated stone island and appointed with Bosch and Schott Ceran appliances. Adjoining dining and living areas are warmed by a wood-fuelled fireplace, while a large rear veranda creates a wonderfully private vantage point over the surrounding greenery.

Accommodation comprises 4 bedrooms plus a study, with flexibility woven through the floorplan. The primary bedroom suite includes a walk-in robe and ensuite, while the central bathroom with shower and bath serves the remaining bedrooms. To the lower level, a versatile teen retreat is enhanced by double glazing and a split system, with its own covered outdoor entertaining area providing valuable independence.

But the rear garden is where Strathfillan becomes truly memorable. Private and deeply atmospheric, it unfolds through a series of beautifully composed garden spaces, where formal structure gradually gives way to a more romantic, layered landscape. Pencil pines lend vertical definition, while a grove of Silver Birch trees introduces movement and filtered light. Hakea, citrus and a grapevine-trellised arbour enrich the planting palette, with meandering pathways and reclaimed timber steps leading through hawthorn, seasonal iris, daffodils and jonquils, to a copse of Japanese maples. The changing colours, textures and foliage ensure the landscape reveals something different throughout the year.

The pièce de résistance, however, is an enclosable outdoor entertaining pavilion centred around a glorious brick fireplace, creating an exceptional all-season setting within the garden. Vegetable boxes add productive appeal, while a flat lawned area provides space for a trampoline or cubby house. Private gated access to Sankey Reserve provides a leisurely 10-minute walk to the centre of town, reinforcing the prestige and convenience of this tightly held position.

Further inclusions comprise a double carport with gated access to additional off-street parking, ducted heating and refrigerated cooling, a water tank, workshop, and extensive storage spanning beneath the home. Strathfillan is the kind of garden home that rewards lingering, with ever beautiful outlooks waiting beyond every threshold.