It has a category 2 heritage listing and was originally the home of Joseph Libeau jun. and his wife Clémence, built in 1863.
The house was associated with the neighbouring Libeau brickworks until at least the mid 1870s.
The land is 1,897m2 and shows off its long established orchard.
It’s laid out to be easy maintenance as the house has been part of
Bachcare properties for short term rental.
It sold for $820,000 in 2020. Council records say the walls and roof are of average condition but I really think this doesn’t do the cottage justice. This is a high quality restoration and improvement. Modern amenities have been done with care and taste. No clutter, just preserving the character and providing modern comfort.
Despite
its modest exterior, the home offers four bedrooms, including two attic
rooms accessed via a steep staircase. The living/dining space is open
plan with an updated kitchen and bathroom ensuring day to day life is
considerably easier than it was for the original occupants! A large
double garage and external studio provide further options.
Joseph Libeau jnr. migrated to Sydney in the 1850s, but returned to
Akaroa in 1856 to marry Clemence Gendrot. The couple initially settled
in Duvauchelles, but returned to Akaroa to work at the Libeau family
brickworks in Chemin Grehan (now Rue Grehan), developed on land Joseph
Libeau sen. purchased from Clemence’s father Pierre in 1857.
In 1860 Joseph sen. subdivided the site of 54 from the brickworks plot; the house was presumably developed soon after. Joseph jnr worked at the brickworks for eight years before returning to Duvauchelles with his family. The brickworks continued under the management of other family members until the 1880s, but Joseph junior’s cottage was sold to carpenter George Checkley in 1875.
Checkley had substantial landholdings in and around Akaroa, so may have leased the cottage out until his death in 1897. By 1895 Checkley had also purchased the remainder of Joseph Libeau sen.’s property. The cottage belonged to members of the Sunckell family (another old Akaroa family who built Windermere on Rue Lavaud) from 1902-1958.
If you would like to check out its listing for a stay in Akaroa, here’s the link https://www.booking.com/hotel/nz/libeau-cottage-akaroa-holiday-home.en-gb.html
Beware!! It is pricey. For two nights in the middle of winter it’ll set you back at least $1,080 making it one of the most expensive places to book in Akaroa.
There are an additional 2 bedrooms at the top of the attic accessed by a tiny staircase and these are not in use for renters.
Down the long drive there is a separate modern double garage, sheds and outdoor dining.
Here you can see the lovely setting for the property with a view to the harbour. The fruit trees in the foreground are all that remain of the Libeau market gardens (#56) which were still in operation during the early part of the twentieth century.
This concludes the series on French Libeau cottages in Akaroa. I hope two of them will live on beyond myself.
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