Mountaineer Edmund Hillary's home sold for 1.9 million dollars

Auckland (New Zealand), Mar.18 (ANI): The Auckland home the legendary mountaineer Sir Ed Hillary has been sold at an auction for 1.9 million dollars.

Auckland property developer Graham Wall purchased the home in which Hillary lived in for over 50 years.

Wall told media he was not buying the property for himself but on behalf of a client, who he refused to identify.

He said he had "no idea" what the new owner would do with the property.

The two-storied house at 278A Remuera Road had been expected to sell for over two million dollars this afternoon.

The house had a government valuation of 1.93 million dollars but zoning restrictions allowed only one unit to be built on the 1738sq m site, the NZPA reports.

The auction came as Auckland Mayor John Banks said his plan to move the home Sir Ed built and set it up at the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) will not happen.

Sir Edmund died last year and under the terms of his will the mountain of chattels and memorabilia have been disbursed among the family and the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

The will also said the house should be sold and the proceeds used for his family and charities.

Any plans to turn the house into a museum would be handicapped by it being down a long step right-of-way shared with two other houses.

The house is of a simple 1950/60s look and has none of the character Sir Ed and family put into it.

Out front, in the view out to the Waitemata Harbour, is a tree Sir Ed planted. The now large Himalayan pine tree is protected. (ANI)