Alfred Buckland and Eliza Wallen (pictured below) married in England and emigrated to New Zealand in 1850 on the sailing ship "Sir Edward Paget". They first settled in South Auckland where they became well established quite quickly by buying and selling land. Twelve years later they purchased 5 acres (2 ha), in Eliza's name and moved closer to Auckland to the newly emerging area of Epsom. They named their property Highwic.
The new house built on the land became one of New Zealand's finest Carpenter Gothic' houses. The 1862 portion was based on a plan known a ' A Symmetrical Cottage' found in the 1850 pattern book The Architecture of Country Houses by popular American landscape gardener Andrew Jackson Downing . Highwic featured vertical boarding, steep slate roofs, latticed casement windows, decorated bargeboards and other structural and internal features advocated by Downing.
Eliza Buckland did not live long at Highwic, dying of pneumonia in 1866. She bore seven daughters and three sons (one dying in infancy). Ten months later Alfred married New Zealand-born Matilda Jane (above) who lived on at Highwic for 65 years. She and Alfred had seven daughters and four sons (two died before adulthood), making a grand total of 21. Although not all the children were at home at the same time - by the time the last one was born Alfred had 24 grandchildren - it must have been a busy and lively household. Outdoor activities such as riding, tennis and croquet were popular, and holidays were spent at their seaside home on Buckland's Beach farm.
In 1873 the house was extended in the style of the original, adding a sitting/dining wing joined by the former verandah area and a separate brick kitchen/service wing. By 1885 the "ballroom" wing had been added, with a dormitory above for the boys and the little billiard house was more than doubled in size.
Alfred Buckland was an auctioneer of stock, produce, wool and later horses and farm machinery. He was also a farmer - his biggest farm was 3795 hectares making him one of Auckland's most substantial land owners. Alfred's keen interest in owning and racing horses, led him to found the Pakuranga Hunt and become President of the Auckland Racing Club.
In 1978 the New Zealand Historic Places Trust and the Auckland City Council purchased Highwic. Furnished as it might have been in Alfred Buckland's time, Highwic offers an insight into the daily life and leisure activities of a large and wealthy colonial family.
Trees around Highwic are almost as old as the house, including old, once fashionable, pines under planted with clivias. Norfolk pines dominate the croquet lawn and front entrance Mature camellias line a pathway down the drive, with ivy and South African bulbs underneath.
The original Victorian garden is still evident as the house and grounds remained in the Buckland family until 1978. An old orchard borders Gillies Ave and Echium pinana stand above the volcanic outcrop forming the North -West corner of the property. Looking from here, the sight of modern Newmarket contrasts completely with the uncluttered view to Rangitoto Island that existed in Alfred Buckland's time.
Most of Highwic is hidden from public view by mature trees and high hedges. A formal element remains in a hedged , circular garden with narrow curving pathways. Other, formally edged beds contain old fashioned perennials and annuals. Native species include ferns, Nikau , cabbage tree and a large Totara on the edge of the lawn .
A fern house features many further varieties of indigenous ferns. A rock walkway leads past a bank of Agapanthus, once a sophisticated rockery, past belladonna lilies to the driveway by the original stables.