Wine Country Motel sold to become Hukarere Girls’ College dorms

The Wine Country Motel in Havelock North will be the new location for the Hukarere Girls' College dorms after the site was purchased by Te Aute Trust Board. Photo / Paul Taylor

The students of Hukarere Girls’ College will have a new home in a former motel in Havelock North, with a new permanent school location nearly within sight.

Te Aute Trust board announced in a statement on Friday that they had finalised the purchase of the Wine Country Motel at the corner of Arataki and Te Mata Roads.

The motel will be used as a wharenoho, or accommodation, which will be able to house up to 80 fulltime student boarders and three permanent staff on site, according to a land use application made to the Hastings District Council.

The trust will take possession of the property on June 20 and will begin minor works to ensure compliance with the Ministry of Education’s Hostel Regulations.

“The trust board is delighted that Kohine will be able to progressively return after this date,” the statement said.

The trust board also confirmed in the statement that they had a property under contract for purchase to use as a new school site, after confirming earlier that they would not return to Esk Valley.

The Hukarere Girls’ College buildings were badly damaged in the flooding during Cyclone Gabrielle in February.

“These will be interim sites for boarding and schooling, while the bigger plan to build back better carries on. Te Aute Trust Board will soon begin a wider consultation process to plan for a consolidated future development,” the Te Aute Trust Board statement said.

“The school property being considered is subject to due diligence and the granting of a resource consent. These processes are well advanced and the trust is hopeful the kura can reopen in term 3.”

The statement credited the support of the school’s kōhine, whānau, Te Hāhi Mihinare, the St John’s College Trust Board and the dedication and commitment of their hostel manager, Amelia Kaui, throughout the process.

“It’s been a complex but exciting period in the long history of the college,” Hukarere Board of Trustees co-chairs Whitney Olsen-Miller and Jolene Perry said.

“We are very appreciative of the Te Aute Trust Board’s unflinching commitment to get us up and running again.”

Archbishop Don Tamihere thanked the school whānau.

“We thank our school whānau for their perseverance through what has been an unprecedented period for the Trust, and we look forward to sharing the continued success of Hukarere Girls’ College with you,” Tamihere said.

Wine Country Motel owner Neville Whitworth said he was happy for the school and he believe the new premises were a fantastic opportunity for them.

Whitworth declined to comment further about the reason for the sale.