The Star: April 27, 2023

The Star Thursday April 27 2023
8
NEWS
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Netball icon’s dream home sells for $4.65m
• By Diana Clement
CANTERBURY netball legend
Joan Harnett-Kindley has sold
her Wānaka dream home for
$4.65 million.
The four-bedroom
designer property was
snapped up at auction
last week by a local
family.
The waterfront
house was built by
Harnett-Kindley, a
former Silver Ferns
captain, nearly 15
years ago.
Harnett-Kindley
played 116 internationals in the
1960s and 70s, including three
world championships.
After retiring from netball,
Joan
Harnett-
Kindley
she built up a real estate business
in Christchurch, and
later became a director of her
husband’s real estate company
in Wānaka.
Ray White Wānaka agent
Anna Findlay said the buyers
were the only active bidders
at the auction.
“They walked into the
house and loved the whole
feel of it,” she said, adding
that Harnett-Kindley
was very happy with the
outcome of the auction. The
Albert Town home sold for
$400,000 above RV.
The property looks out
onto the river, has views of Mt
Gold and Mt Maude and comes
with a full-size tennis court.
Designed by architect Ken
Warburton, the house was built
in schist stone to ensure it was
in keeping with the environment.
“It just belongs here,”
Harnett-Kindley said.
The netball icon, who recently
celebrated her 80th birthday,
said she and her husband Don
had sold Wicklow Tce because
the property had become
too big for their current lifestyle.
They planned to build a
townhouse elsewhere in Albert
Town.
“We’re on half an acre of
land. As one gets older it’s a
lot of work. We’ve got to move
while we can still enjoy the new
(home),” she said.
– NZ Herald
SOLD: Joan Harnett-Kindley’s four-bedroom luxury home
at 1 Wicklow Tce, Wānaka, has been snapped up for
$4.65 million. PHOTO: NZ HERALD
Drowned teacher’s grieving
parents speak of ‘joyous’ son
• By Georgina Campbell
THE GRIEVING parents of
Christchurch primary school
teacher Isaac Levings say
he became separated from
his friends after a concert
in Wellington, got lost, and
accidentally drowned in the
harbour.
His parents Charles and
Margaret said the pain of their
youngest son’s death will remain
with them for years to come.
“It’s a hell of a shock. We’re
coming to terms with the fact we
won’t have Isaac, but it doesn’t
make it any better,” Charles Levings
said.
The 25-year-old’s body was
found by police in the harbour
on Friday.
Isaac Levings grew up in
Avonhead as a contented child
who developed a mischievous
sense of humour as he got older
and kept everyone on their toes,
Margaret Levings said.
“We just had joy for 25 years.”
Margaret had worked parttime
at Russley School and
Charles had worked at Avonhead
School after spending 34 years as
a principal at various schools.
But Charles said it was a
surprise to both of them when
Isaac decided in his final year of
high school that he wanted to be
a teacher.
He went on to study at Canterbury
University and got his first
job at Elmwood Normal School,
where he has worked for the last
five years and was adored by his
pupils.
Isaac had a lot of fun at school,
was allowed to be himself, and
could try different strategies to
work with the children, Margaret
said.
Floral tributes and other trinkets,
including a new basketball
with “you were the most wonderful
teacher, we will all miss you”
written on it, piled up outside
Isaac’s classroom door following
his death.
Isaac was particularly keen
on basketball and has been
described by one parent as an
incredible sportsman who often
went along to watch his pupils’
games at the weekend.
“As parents, it’s so heartening
to think that he was so much valued
and so much loved because
he had the same love for the
kids,” Charles said.
The tributes were removed on
Tuesday afternoon and given
to Isaac’s family so the children
could start fresh yesterday.
Charles said some of the pupils
were traumatised by the loss of
their teacher and will be receiving
professional support.
Isaac’s family have collectively
shared the painful grief of losing
him, but Margaret said she has
found strength in family and her
faith.
She said the Wellington police
were amazing and she was grateful
Isaac’s body was discovered
soon after he was reported missing.
Isaac was staying with friends
in Wellington when he disappeared.
He was last seen at Queens
Wharf after attending the concert
by band The 1975 at TSB
Arena on Wednesday night last
week. He became separated from
his friends after the concert,
became disorientated, and his
phone had gone flat.
The alarm was raised when he
TRAGIC: Tributes have flowed for Elmwood Normal
School teacher Isaac Levings, who drowned in Wellington
Harbour. Above – Isaac (left) with parents Margaret and
Charles and brother James. PHOTOS: NZ HERALD
didn’t return to where he was
staying.
A friend contacted Isaac’s older
brother James the next day and
James then got in touch with his
parents.
“That was so much out of character
for Isaac. Isaac’s really well
organised,” Charles said.
James then flew to Wellington
with a cousin to talk to police.
They and other family members
flooded the police station,
Charles said.
Police put out a public appeal
for information about Isaac’s
whereabouts and started searching
the harbour on Friday, where
his body was found later that day.
Charles it was an accidental
drowning.
In 2021, the body of 30-yearold
Sandy Calkin was also found
in the water near Queens Wharf.
Calkin’s father Roger has
advocated for balustrades to be
installed along the most dangerous
parts of the wharf area.
Charles agreed with him.
“If it was a swimming pool or
a construction site, you would
have health and safety people
coming around throwing fines at
you because it is potentially quite
dangerous.”
Wellington City Council has
confirmed it is investigating
enhanced edge definition and
further fencing to deter people
from accessing the wharf edge.
Isaac’s body was flown from
Wellington back to Christchurch
on Tuesday.
“We’re delighted to have Isaac
back with us in Christchurch.
It’s going to help with our grief
process,” Charles said.
– NZ Herald