Cultural Significance

This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Recommendation for Registration considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. Social: Sunnydale represents the distinctive characteristics of the pioneering effort and settlement in the West Auckland ranges. The pragmatic and blunt character of life is represented by the simple and direct building style and the practical use of material at hand.

Historic Significance

Historical Significance or Value This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Recommendation for Registration considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. The original section of Sunnydale was built circa 1864 for John Thompson, the second European owner of the land. Since then the property has been owned by a succession of people and subjected to a number of modifications. The once isolated property is now believed to be one of the oldest surviving European buildings in West Auckland.

Physical Significance

This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Recommendation for Registration considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. Archaeological: The building has occupied this site for over 130 years and therefore has archaeological potential. Architectural: The original house is a simple rectangle, almost a square, with no lean-tos or verandahs - the plainest of vernacular forms. The place has undergone many changes but the main roof profile and general outlines survive.

Detail Of Assessed Criteria

This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Recommendation for Registration considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. The following comments are made in relation to the criteria identified under S.23(2) of the Historic Places Act 1993. a) The extent to which the place reflects important or representative aspects of New Zealand history: Sunnydale's historical importance lies in its representativeness as an example of an 1860's building that has been adapted to serve the needs of ordinary people for 130 years. c) The potential of the place to provide knowledge of New Zealand history: The building and its curtilage is an archaeological site which has the potential to provide information on the changing lifestyle of the site's various inhabitants. Sunnydale, with its additions and alterations and evidence, is of interest to domestic and architectural historians. Newspapers dating from the 1860's are pasted onto the scrim of an upstairs partition of the house and underneath the building there are river boulders and totara stumps that were used at one stage to support the floor joists. e) The community association with, or public esteem for, the place: Sunnydale is recognised as one of the few houses in the Auckland region dating from the first three decades of European settlement and attracts a lot of interest within the community and from visitors. g) The technical accomplishment or value, or design of the place: The original house was a simple rectangle, almost a square, with no lean-tos or verandahs - the plainest of vernacular forms. New Zealand Herald newspapers pasted onto the scrim on an upstairs partition are presumed to date from the construction of the building - late 1864 to early 1865. The house has grown and been extensively modified over time. The most significant feature of the original section is the wide-pitched, gabled roof clad in corrugated iron, with the gable ends still clad in rough shiplap weatherboards. The plain barges and north chimney appear to be original too. The place has undergone many changes but the main roof profile and general outlines survive. i) The importance of identifying historic places known to date from early periods of New Zealand history: Sunnydale is a pioneering building from a comparatively early period of European settlement. It is one of the oldest surviving buildings in the West Auckland area. Conclusion: Sunnydale, 108 Parker Rd, Oratia, West Auckland, is recommended for registration as a Category II as a place of historical and cultural heritage significance and value. The original section of Sunnydale was built circa 1864 and represents the distinctive characteristics of pioneer settlement in West Auckland. The house design is of the plainest vernacular form and has undergone many alterations but the main roof profile and general outlines of the building still survive.