Notable Homes of Hawkes Bay

On this wonderful day out in late Spring we visit three notable homes that have each been part of our region’s history for over 120 years. Our first visit is to Greenhill Lodge in the Raukawa Valley. The house was built for Archibald McLean in the 1890s. He had purchased 3,300 acres from the giant Maraekakaho Station and commissioned prominent Christchurch landscape gardener, Alfred Buxton, to design the gardens around the house. We’ll enjoy morning tea with the current owners and take a tour of the house. From Raukawa we take the beautiful scenic drive up SH50 to the Ashley Clinton district and the house known as Ashcott. In the A’Deane family for more than 100 years, Ashcott has played host to many dignitaries over the years from prime ministers to Princes of Wales. The current owners will take us on a tour of the property. Our third and final visit is to Woburn at Hatuma, a house built for Thomas Purvis Russell in 1893. It was at the centre of a property that was originally nearly 27,000 acres but this, along with neighbouring sheep runs Oruawharo and Mt Herbert, was broken up into smaller holdings and sold off less than a decade after the homestead was built. We’ll enjoy High Tea here together with a tour of the house with the owner. These three homes connect us strongly with the formative years of colonial settlement of our region and it’s a privilege to be able to enjoy them still today.