20 September 2006
Successful Harcourts Business Owner Opens Office in Historic Home Town of Dargaville
A slice of New Zealand rich with history and “huge growth potential” now has a Harcourts office to service the property
needs of the local community thanks to former ‘born and bred’ Dargaville man Barry Gillespie.
Mr Gillespie owns five other highly successful Harcourts offices in Warkworth, Snells Beach, Whangarei, Wellsford and
Mangawhai and while he hasn’t lived in Dargaville for many years, was enthusiastic about extending the Harcourts brand
to the attractive rural township.
This frontier settlement was founded in the 1870s on the highly prosperous export of Kauri timber, gum and flax rope
through what was once New Zealand’s largest export port. In latter years however it has developed into what Mr Gillespie
described as a very strong farming and agricultural community. He noted that the dairying industry in particular had a
positive impact on the town’s prosperity along with drystock, forestry and market gardening which produced around two
thirds of the country’s kumara.
Set in the heart of the ‘Kauri Coast’, the rich history is reflected in the many stunning Kauri buildings and “some
really beautiful stately older family homes” at around $250,000 within commute to Auckland making Dargaville an
increasingly popular community. Mr Gillespie predicted that with the Puhoi motorway extension due to be completed next
year, Warkworth and surrounding areas would become even more accessible and attractive to Auckland commuters resulting
in a “huge amount of potential growth” in properties all along the East Coast from coastal to family homes, and
particularly lifestyle properties.
Having extensively renovated the century old Dargaville building originally occupied by the NZ Loan and Mercantile Co
Ltd for his Harcourts premises, Mr Gillespie said “the public response has been absolutely marvellous with people very
pleased to have Harcourts there.” Managed by Clive Bray, Harcourts Dargaville has a team in residential,
rural/lifestyle, and property management with plans to expand given the number of enquiries from those looking to join
the office.
Harcourts New Zealand CEO, Bryan Thomson, said, “The new Dargaville office completes another link in our chain as we aim
to ensure every viable marketplace in New Zealand has access to local people providing professional Harcourts real
estate services. Harcourts Dargaville also reflects the true commitment Barry Gillespie shows to a region he is clearly
passionate about and we are already seeing the people of Dargaville supporting our team in their town.”
ENDS