The historic Clark House in Auckland's Hobsonville. Photo: Supplied / Harcourts
Once owned by royalty, one of New Zealand's most viewed homes, the historic Clark House in Auckland's Hobsonville, has finally been sold.
The house gained attention in late 2022, due to an unusual listed owner - her Majesty the Queen, who died earlier that year.
With King Charles III having recently ascended the throne the idea that the sovereign owned the West Auckland property made headlines at the time.
25-59 Clark Road Hobsonville. Photo: Supplied / Harcourts
But despite the clever advertising, in reality, neither the King nor Queen had individual ownership of the property.
Instead the title was listed under the Crown, with the New Zealand Defence Force using the property for RNZAF operations from 1950 until 2016.
Previously listed for $5.2m-plus, the 1.9ha estate has a CV of $16.58m and a category 1 Historic Places listing.
25-59 Clark Road Hobsonville. Photo: Supplied / Harcourts
The final sale price hasn't been made public, Harcourts agents told the property news website OneRoof.
Built by English ceramics entrepreneur Rice Owen Clark II in 1902, the Italianate-style villa was a showcase for his company's unique experimental glazed, hollow ceramic blocks.
The residence boasted several other visually striking features, including ornate iron-lace verandas, regarded as among the finest in New Zealand.
Its interior showcased a variety of ceiling designs, including elaborate kauri and intricate decorative tilework.
25-59 Clark Road Hobsonville. Photo: Supplied / Harcourts
Historical accounts show the Clark family lived there until selling to the Crown in 1950 for £8000.
The RNZAF repurposed the prestigious property as a Task Force Headquarters, later hosting high-level Cold War meetings, including a 1955 South East Asian Treaty Organisation (SEATO) conference.
25-59 Clark Road Hobsonville. Photo: Supplied / Harcourts
In 1967, it became home to the Aviation Medicine Unit, featuring a newly built annex housing the RNZAF's only decompression chamber.
The house, which needs restoration, includes 10 large rooms, stained glass windows, and a grand staircase.
25-59 Clark Road Hobsonville. Photo: Supplied / Harcourts
Onekiritea, also known as the Hobsonville Peninsula, holds deep significance for Te Kawerau ā Maki, who lived there before European settlement.
The area's cultural and ancestral importance is reflected in place names such as Te Waiarohia o Ngāriki, Tahingamanu, and Te Taungaroa. It was a vital site for fishing, food gathering, and kūmara cultivation.
After the Crown acquired the land in 1853, it was subdivided and sold to European settlers, including Clark.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
