{"id":524406,"date":"2026-07-13T20:39:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T20:39:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/524406\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T20:39:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T20:39:25","slug":"landmark-beach-home-for-sale-after-70-years-all-things-property-under-oneroof","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/524406\/","title":{"rendered":"Landmark beach home for sale after 70 years, All things property, under OneRoof"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&#8211; May Harvey&#8217;s iconic art deco home, Clear Waters, in Russell is for sale.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Harvey meticulously planned the house in the 1950s, creating a landmark known for its charm and hospitality.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Proceeds from the sale will go to philanthropic causes, continuing Harvey&#8217;s legacy of generosity.<\/p>\n<p>When the late May Harvey spotted her dream home in a magazine, she decided to adapt the design to fit the five-acre section she had bought in Russell in the Far North. <\/p>\n<p>That was back in the 1950s, and today the iconic art deco-style home, dubbed Clear Waters, nestled at the eastern end of the white sands of Long Beach \u2013 about a 20-minute walk from the wharf and shops &#8211;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneroof.co.nz\/property\/northland\/russell\/151-long-beach-road\/9HL3c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"> is for sale<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>Harvey died in 2006, aged almost 99. Her niece and trustee, Mary Lou Herdson, told OneRoof that Harvey had meticulously planned the house, inside and out, but getting it built was a challenge.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The iconic art deco-style home at 151 Long Beach Road, on the edge of Russell, Northland, is on the market for the first time since it was built in the 1950s. Photo \/ Supplied\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bc3a31259fa8fb03ce2491b64c5e2eb3.jpg\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"image-caption\">Proceeds from the sale of the over 2ha property being sold by the estate of May Harvey will go to charity. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The iconic art deco-style home at 151 Long Beach Road, on the edge of Russell, Northland, is on the market for the first time since it was built in the 1950s. Photo \/ Supplied\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/b4d537a6b4b98075d2347e335f2dfe24.jpg\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"image-caption\">The house, known as Clear Waters, backs onto QEII-protected native bush and fronts the white sands of Long Beach. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n<p>Russell, in the 1950s, was far more isolated than it is today, and although the build was \u201clong and fraught\u201d, the project brought Harvey closer to the community around her. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe house is more than an architectural landmark; it\u2019s the lasting expression of a woman whose independence, hospitality and affection for Russell left a deep impression on those who knew her,\u201d Herdson said. <\/p>\n<p>Harvey was well-known in both Auckland and Russell for her warmth, generosity and lively social circle. \u201cDuring the Second World War, she spent significant time as a masseuse\/physiotherapist for New Zealand troops in Egypt, experiences that helped shape the broad outlook and adventurous spirit she later brought to life at Clear Waters. <\/p>\n<p>Discover more:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneroof.co.nz\/news\/49760\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">&#8211; Black Caps star selling his high-tech home after welcoming baby girl<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneroof.co.nz\/news\/49758\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">&#8211; $130K not enough to get rid of &#8216;dangerous&#8217; dump with million-dollar views<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneroof.co.nz\/news\/49752\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">&#8211; Sir Ian Athfield&#8217;s final grand design &#8211; mansion comes with cinema, bar<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Harvey\u2019s affection for Russell began after a visit to her aunt, Bexie Wise, who was then living on Russell Heights Road, which looks out over the beach.<\/p>\n<p>When finished, her Clear Waters home quickly became a distinctive feature of the Long Beach landscape, Herdson said. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith its curved frontage, stucco finish, flat roof and pillared terrace, it was very much of its time, yet its form sat sympathetically within the natural landscape around it.  <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe house has charm, character and a calm sense of permanence. The words above the front door say, &#8216;pax et bonum&#8217; \u2014 peace and goodwill.\u201d <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The iconic art deco-style home at 151 Long Beach Road, on the edge of Russell, Northland, is on the market for the first time since it was built in the 1950s. Photo \/ Supplied\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/582db14ab27344233dbf35f1e00e57d2.jpg\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"image-caption\">The striking property still has its original features, including a stone fireplace and vintage kitchen. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n<p>Herdson said Clear Waters was never just a house for her aunt: \u201cIt was a place to be shared. Friends, family, locals, and, on occasion, even strangers who admired the property were welcomed there.  <\/p>\n<p>\u201cOver the years, five generations of family have enjoyed holidays in the house, giving Clear Waters a continuity that extends well beyond its architecture.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Life revolved around the sea, and in the early days, there was a dinghy with an unreliable Seagull outboard motor, later supplemented by a Logan-built 16-foot clinker runabout with a Morris inboard motor.  <\/p>\n<p>\u201cBoating gave younger nieces and nephews a sense of freedom around the Bay of Islands, sometimes more freedom than intended,\u201d Herdson said. <\/p>\n<p>The house, which has two bedrooms and a separate cabin, was a social gathering place. \u201cMay Harvey held New Year\u2019s parties that were popular local events, with music, singing and a wide circle of Russell friends.  <\/p>\n<p>\u201cClear Waters provided a setting where family memories were made, friendships were strengthened and visitors could experience the particular beauty of Long Beach, Russell.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Herdson said the time has come to sell, and, in accordance with her aunt\u2019s wishes, the proceeds of the sale will be directed towards philanthropic causes, \u201callowing her generosity to continue in another form\u201d. <\/p>\n<p>Bayleys listing agent Irene Bremner said the house was part of Russell\u2019s history and one she never thought would come up for sale. <\/p>\n<p>It had a charming feel and was in a lovely spot at the end of the beach, she said. \u201cWalk out the door, across the road and go to the beach.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>While there was room for a new owner to make improvements, Bremner said she would not change a thing. \u201cIf you look at the kitchen and the shape of it, it&#8217;s just unbelievable. I loved it, and I loved it more going inside.\u201d <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneroof.co.nz\/property\/northland\/russell\/151-long-beach-road\/9HL3c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">&#8211; 151 Long Beach Road, Russell, Far North, is for sale, tender closing August 15<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"&#8211; May Harvey&#8217;s iconic art deco home, Clear Waters, in Russell is for sale. &#8211; Harvey meticulously planned&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":524407,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[42,1258,43,40,38,41,39],"class_list":["post-524406","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-headlines","tag-latest-news","tag-news","tag-top-news","tag-top-stories","tag-topnews","tag-topstories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/524406","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=524406"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/524406\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/524407"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=524406"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=524406"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=524406"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}