Firth Cottage (9 Kitchener Road)

Portrait photographer Clifton Firth, his wife, and their three children moved into this bach, one of the original cottages in Thorne Bay, in the 1920s. At the time, Milford Beach was covered with these types of houses. Most were rustic, basic structures sufficiently comfortable for weekends and family holidays. It is one of the few remaining examples of a classic New Zealand bach along this stretch of beach.

The Firths grew so fond of their cottage that they made it their permanent home, sticking with the small building rather than upgrading to something larger. Its location, nestled in a garden among pohutukawa with beach-facing windows and a covered porch, provided good views and shelter from harbour storms. The Firths relished their casual lifestyle, where local penguins felt free to nest under the house and generally make themselves at home. When the mirror house went up next door in 1984, Mrs. Firth said that she appreciated the extra light it provided as the sun reflected off the glass and into her kitchen and garden.

Due to the closure of the coastal trail through the Firth property, please return to Audrey Road, continue up the stairs to Kitchener Road, and turn left. Continue along Kitchener and Hurstmere Roads until reaching Minehaha Avenue. Turn left and continue to the end of Minehaha Avenue. At the waterfront, turn left and walk along the beach and seawall.