The remaining club members attending our 600th Rally at Takapau arrived on Thursday, to join the 4 vans who had decided to come a day early. We had a total of 11 vans joining in the celebrations. The weekend weather was mostly warm and humid, and we spent some convivial time outside enjoying the warm weather, most donning sunhats to give us protection from the hot sun, and insect repellant to keep the biting insects away.
At Takapau
Our 600th Caravan Club rally was officially opened by Vice President Selwyn on Thursday evening. Sadly President Barry and his wife Dianne were unable to join us for this milestone rally.
Selwyn opening our 600th Rally
Robin handed out a quiz for everyone to work on during the weekend. It showed all sorts of warning lights which may appear sometimes on your car’s dashboard, and the quest was to correctly identify them. Not an easy task, as it turned out.
The weekend quiz
Our celebrations started in style on Friday morning when we drove to Oruawharo Homestead for High Tea. This was served in the beautiful Vincent’s Church, moved from Takapau township in 2012. Used as a wedding venue, birthdays, anniversaries and High Teas, this church has been lovingly restored and the warm timber interior is a sight to behold. Our host Peter showed a slide show and regaled us with tales of the history of the property, and the trials and tribulations of dealing with council officers while endeavouring to restore the historic buildings.
Vincent's Church
Our High Tea arrived and we enjoyed dainty savouries, sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, as well as sweet treats. There was a wide selection of teas to choose from, and coffee was also provided. According to Samuel Johnson, “Tea’s proper use is to amuse the idle, relax the studious and dilute the full meals of those who cannot use exercise and will not use abstinence”.
High Tea at Oruawharo
After partaking this lovely spread, we were invited to walk through the lovely old homestead. Oruawharo was completed in 1879 for Sydney Johnston and his bride Sophia. Constructed of kauri, totara and matai, the homestead, stables, coach house and gardens are a Heritage New Zealand category 1 classification. In it’s heyday Oruawharo was the scene of lavish house parties, with tennis, croquet, picnics, horse racing and hunts to entertain the guests.
Oruawharo homestead
Over the years the fortunes waxed and waned, and home was eventually shut up and suffered damage. It was purchased by current owners Peter and Dianne Harris in 2000, just days before those lovely old although sadly neglected homestead was to be demolished. The homestead remains a residence but with commercial activities to help fund the maintenance and ongoing restoration. All the furniture had been removed, so every period piece had to be purchased and replaced.
Inside the homestead
Looking up at the ceilings we marveled at the pressed metal beauties above us. And the beautifully restored timber ceiling in the Ball Room, together with the paneled walls were certainly something to admire. AS with all these repairs and restoration, Peter related the stories behind them.
Beautiful ceilings
We were permitted free range of the homestead, climbed up and down the three sets of stairs, and wandered in and out of the many bedrooms. How about this room with the fancy bath? Could well be the honeymoon suite, perhaps.
Just one of the many bedrooms
Peter and Dianne import the fancy teas served at their meals, and these are available for customers to purchase. Robin was rather taken with Russian Caravan tea he tried with our High Tea – a blend of Lapsang Souchong leaves dried in bamboo baskets over pine fires, and mixed with Assam black tea. I chose a delightful white tea and raspberries.
Tea Time
Our day finished with a BBQ meal, and several of us all ate together outside in the lovely warm conditions. Then later in the evening we met in the hall for coffee and cake. Whew – what a big day!
The celebration cake
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