Stories from a Seaside Past: Lake House and Takapuna

Image: A postcard from 1906 of Lake Pupuke. The caption reads: F.T. Series. No 2720. A portion of Lake Takapuna, from Lake House. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1743-044.

It’s hard to picture now, but there was a time when Takapuna was a remote, sparsely populated coastal settlement – valued for its natural beauty that offered an interlude from the bustle of Auckland. In the late 19th century, reaching the area meant a ferry to Devonport followed by a cart ride along rough coastal roads. Even so, it drew those seeking sea air, scenic views, and quiet respite from the growing city.

Image: A series of sketches from Takapuna. 1. Lake Road. 2 and 3. Lake Takapuna. 4. Lake Beach. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections NZG-18930225-0180-01. Photographer: New Zealand Graphic.

Among the earliest buildings in the area was Lake House, a gracious Victorian villa of kauri, purpose-built as a seaside boarding house. Situated at the northern end of Takapuna Beach, it stood only a short walk from the much-admired Lake Pupuke. Guests often made the fifteen-minute stroll along sandy tracks bordered by flax and wild lupin, to sit by the still water or hire a small boat. Such excursions were part of the leisurely rhythm of a stay, in keeping with the slower pace and social customs of the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

Image: A favourite Auckland pleasure resort: A picnic party under the Pohutukawa trees, Lake Takapuna. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19001221-02-01. Photographer: Auckland Weekly News.

Built in 1896 by prominent farmer-turned-businessman John Gordon, after whom Gordonton in the Waikato is named, Lake House was never intended as his own residence. Instead, Gordon leased it to operators who ran it as a boarding house for holidaymakers, many of whom came from Auckland’s central suburbs.

Image: Eastern aspect of Lake House. Members of the Scanlen family pictured outside. c. 1906. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections T8148.

At the turn of the 20th century, seaside holidays were growing in popularity in New Zealand, fuelled by the belief that fresh sea breezes and ocean bathing could restore health. Public swimming for adults was strictly segregated, and bathing costumes were suitably modest. Children, however, were often exempt from such formality, free to paddle, swim, and play, sometimes without a stitch of clothing, as one surviving photograph attests.

Image: A large group of young boys frollicking in the waves at Takapuna Beach. c. 1900. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-18981223-02-03. Photographer: Auckland Weekly News.

While the children splashed in the water, promenading along the beach was a key social ritual of the Victorian and Edwardian seaside experience. Visitors arrived dressed in their finest daywear, men in suits and hats often carrying canes, and women in full-length dresses, gloves, and wide-brimmed hats. The beach was as much a place for display and genteel strolling as for swimming, with families and holidaymakers taking the air along the promenade, enjoying the views and socialising within the strict codes of modesty and decorum that defined the era.

Image: Lake Beach, Takapuna Auckland 2434. C.1910. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections T0224. Photographer: William Archer Price.

Lake House was well placed to capitalise on this growing interest in the beach, offering comfortable seaside accommodation for middle-class guests. Originally a single-storey, 5,000-square-foot villa, it was expanded in 1906 with the addition of a second level, increasing its capacity to 24 rooms, including 16 bedrooms. The best of these upstairs rooms boasted sweeping views across the water to Rangitoto Island, while downstairs, guests could enjoy the elegance of a drawing room and private sitting rooms. Two bathing sheds were built on the foreshore, providing guests with a place to rinse off after a swim and to preserve modesty as much as possible. 

Summertime was undoubtedly the busiest season for both Takapuna and Lake House. The 1905 diary of tenant Ruth Scanlen, held in the Takapuna Library archives records a lively turnover of guests: some stayed just a night or two, while others settled in for several weeks to enjoy the sunshine and sea air. Public holidays brought an extra bustle, with day visitors arriving for afternoon tea, served on the verandah with sweeping views of the Hauraki Gulf where sea breezes mingled with the scent of pōhutukawa.

Image: A hot water kiosk and picnickers under the shade of Pohutukawa trees at the northern end ofTakapuna beach. c. 1905. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections T0251. 

Picnicking was a favourite pastime for visitors to Takapuna, offering a chance to enjoy the natural surroundings and fresh sea air. Access to hot water was essential for preparing tea and meals outdoors, a detail often noted in contemporary accounts. Ruth Scanlen’s diary, for example, mentions regularly supplying hot water for guests’ picnics. Just to the top left of the above photo, the balcony of Lake House can be seen, a reminder of the close connection between the boarding house and these leisurely outdoor gatherings.

Image: Lake House as seen from Takapuna Beach, 1910. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections T6892. Photographer: William Archer Price.

Reaching Lake House was surprisingly swift by the standards of the day. Visitors took a 10-15 minute ferry from Auckland to Devonport, then a 20-30 minute coach ride along the coast, arriving in a little over half an hour. Not so different from today, though far less comfortable, and with the added aroma of horse. By 1910, the wharf was opened to passenger ferries, making direct travel from Auckland to Takapuna possible.

Image: Postcard showing passengers from the SS Condor alighting at Takapuna Wharf. 1910. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections T0213. Photographer: William Archer Price.

By 1910, as Takapuna modernised, a telephone line was installed connecting twelve homes in the area. Lake House’s proprietor, Newson Sheppard, secured telephone number 1 for the boarding house. This early adoption of modern technology underscores Lake House’s central role in Takapuna’s social and commercial life during its transformation from rural back blocks to a connected suburban hub. 

Just a short stroll from Lake House, Hall’s Corner was a lively little crossroads where guests could pick up supplies, post letters, or browse the handful of shops that formed the heart of Takapuna’s early commercial centre. Among its regular suppliers was Lake House tenant Winslow Scanlen, who often sold surplus chicken and duck eggs to the Lake General Store and Bakery. Established in 1896 by David Robertson with his brother Henry running the bakery, this was the first permanent commercial store in Takapuna. Hall’s Corner soon became the suburb’s main hub of trade and chatter, with the Lake General Store as its anchor.

Image: Lake General Store & Bakery, Takapuna, 1903. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections, T0969.

The outbreak of World War I in 1914 brought profound changes to communities across New Zealand, and Takapuna was no exception. With many men and women enlisted to serve overseas, the steady flow of holiday guests to Lake House diminished considerably. Additionally, the war effort drew heavily on local labour, leaving domestic staff in short supply and placing strain on the boarding house’s daily operations. Advertisements from this period offer prospective guests furnished apartments rather than the previously offered room and board. 

While no direct records confirm Lake House’s use during the war, it is known that similar seaside boarding houses and hotels in Auckland were temporarily repurposed to accommodate soldiers and support wartime activities. Given Lake House’s size and location, it is possible it too served such a role, providing shelter or respite to those connected with the war effort. This period marked a shift in Takapuna’s identity, from a tranquil holiday destination to a community deeply affected by global events, adapting to new challenges and realities.

Image: Volunteer soldiers of the Auckland Infantry Battalion take a lunch break during a 16 miletraining route march from Epson to Manurewa, undertaken on 1 September 1914. The men bivouacked beside the Puhinui Stream overnight, and returned to Auckland the following day. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19140910-37-01. Photographer: Auckland Weekly News.

In 1918, the influenza pandemic swept across New Zealand with devastating effect, overwhelming medical facilities and communities alike. Local resources were quickly stretched to their limits. As many skilled healthcare workers were overseas assisting with the war effort, it fell largely to community volunteers to help where they could. 

During this time of crisis, Lake House was temporarily converted into a makeshift hospital, offering care and shelter to those afflicted by the illness. At the peak of the pandemic, Clara Sheppard, proprietor of Lake House, provided care for 16 patients with the help of a district nurse and other volunteers from the community. On November 14th, William Stockburn Grey, a fireman with the Takapuna Tramway Company, passed away at Lake House. He was buried by his family at O’Neills Point cemetery. Estimates place the total number of pandemic-related deaths in New Zealand at more than 8,000, with over 1 million people dying worldwide.

Image: : Northcote School was also used as a temporary hospital during the peak of the pandemic, 1918. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections B0155.

Following its role during the influenza pandemic, Lake House entered a new chapter. In 1920, the property was sold to members of the Winstone and Arthur families, and converted into rental flats, a clear sign that Takapuna was shifting from a seasonal holiday destination toward a more permanent residential suburb. In 1946, the land was subdivided into six sections leaving Lake House in the centre. Although the house changed hands over the years, it remained a rental property, quietly adapting to the evolving needs of a growing community. 

The mid-20th century saw Takapuna’s transformation accelerate, particularly with the opening of the Auckland Harbour Bridge in 1959, which linked the North Shore more directly to the city. This infrastructural milestone spurred rapid suburban development and population growth, reshaping the area into the bustling, connected neighbourhood we know today. An aerial photograph from the 1950s captures Takapuna on the cusp of this change, its mix of natural beauty and emerging urban life frozen in time, with Lake House standing as a silent witness to decades of progress.

Image: Aerial view of Hurstmere Road and Takapuna Beach. Lake House can be seen on the left side of the photo. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections T6202.

As the decades passed, Takapuna grew up around Lake House. Once a grand seaside retreat, it weathered the years with quiet resilience, continuing to offer accommodation even as its elegance faded. By the mid-1990s, time and neglect had taken their toll, but the community rallied to save it. In a remarkable feat, the building was relocated to Fred Thomas Drive and restored to its historic character while embracing a new purpose. 

Now home to a vibrant community arts centre, Lake House is more than just a charming survivor of Takapuna’s early days. It is a living time capsule, reflecting the suburb’s transformation from quiet seaside retreat to thriving hub. Alongside the photographs, maps, and records in Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections, it offers a tangible link to the layered story of the North Shore. 

Takapuna’s history is told not just in its buildings but in the daily lives, decisions, and documents that shaped its path. The preservation of places like Lake House and the archival work that surrounds them, invites us to reflect not only on where we’ve come from, but on the future we hope to build. After all, if history teaches us anything, it’s that every community could do with a little more sea air, a good picnic, and maybe a timely phone call.

Image: Lake House Arts Centre opened in November 2000. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1613-08-05. Photographer: Dinah Holman.

Author: Pippa Mothersole

You can now borrow Pippa's book 'Lake House History, Community & Art' through Auckland Libraries catalogue