Highwic is a preserved 19th-century family home at 40 Gillies Avenue in Newmarket, Auckland, surrounded today by the city. Built in 1862, the Carpenter Gothic house gives you a close look at the rooms, furnishings and social life of a wealthy settler family. Floor plans and room notes help you follow the house as you explore. Look for the Victorian touches and the drawing room, added in 1883. Monthly coal-range baking sessions add a taste of traditional New Zealand home cooking.
A family home in Newmarket
Highwic was built in 1862 for Alfred Buckland, a merchant, wool broker and stock and station agent who had emigrated from Devon with his wife in 1850. The Bucklands bought the property in 1867. The house and its grounds offer a view of the wealth and domestic life associated with the family in 19th-century Auckland.
The estate once included five acres of paddocks and gardens. Its setting has changed as Auckland grew around it: today the home stands amid urban development, close to cinemas, apartments and a shopping centre.
Carpenter Gothic details and furnished rooms
The house is known for its Carpenter Gothic architecture, with vertical board-and-batten detailing and Victorian touches. Additions made in 1873 followed designs from an American pattern book. The drawing room, added in 1883, reflects the family’s wealth and social position.
Inside, period furniture and furnished rooms help explain how the house was used. Floor plans and description sheets are available on site, so you can follow the layout and read about the rooms as you move through the home.
Baking and social life
Highwic’s monthly coal-range baking session takes place on the first Wednesday of each month from 11 am to 12:30 pm. It connects the house’s domestic history with traditional baking. The property has also hosted events that draw on its past.
Newspaper accounts from 1895 record fourteen dances at Highwic, including waltzes, the Lancers and barn dancing. The house’s rooms and furnishings provide context for the social gatherings that took place there.
FAQ
Where is Highwic?
Highwic is at 40 Gillies Avenue, Mortimer Pass, in Newmarket, Auckland. The entrance is near the Westfield Newmarket parking entrance on Mortimer Pass.
When is Highwic open?
It is open Wednesday to Sunday and closed Monday and Tuesday. Check the current visitor information before setting out.
How long should I allow for a visit?
Allow about 1.5 to 2 hours to explore the furnished rooms and grounds.
When is the coal-range baking session?
It takes place on the first Wednesday of each month, from 11 am to 12:30 pm.
