Couldrey House
Couldrey House and the gardens immediately around it are at the south end of Te Akeake spit and below Maungatauhoro. The house is a short walk from the Wenderholm Regional Park car park. You can go inside on weekends all year round and during the week from Christmas to Easter for a modest fee. But the gardens are easily accessible, free and beautiful with an eclectic range of exotic and native trees and plants.
The first version of the house was built by the Graham family in 1857, then moved to its current location. Four further private owners expanded it and made various other changes. The last private owners were the Couldrey family, who purchased the property in 1940 and both restored and (for the time) modernised it. The Couldreys continued living in the house following the sale of Wenderholm to Auckland City until 1973 when it reverted to the city.
Wenderholm and the house have historically been places of interest for foreigners. Famous visitors have included Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, Vivien Leigh (Gone with the Wind), and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
