Larnach Castle, 15 minutes from the centre of Dunedin, is a gem of a holiday destination.
Guided tours of the castle are available and after that you can meander through the spectacular gardens, taking in the breathtaking views of Otago Harbour and Port Chalmers.
The castle has been lovingly restored to its former glory by the Barker family, which purchased the property in 1967 when it was in severe state of neglect, with very little of the original furniture left in it. Since then, many people who owned original pieces from the castle have either lent or sold them back to the Barkers.
As you move from room to room you get a glimpse of what life was like for the upper class early New Zealand settlers - the finery of the ballroom, Italian marble made into fireplaces throughout the castle, wall panelling of blackwood, oak, mahogany, kauri, totara and teak, the magnificent ceiling which took six-and-a-half years to build, the Georgian hanging staircase, its handrail carved from solid kauri.
The view from the tower is simply breathtaking. We were there on a fine morning and could see why William Larnach chose this spot more than 200 years ago to make his home or, as he called it, The Camp.
Wandering around the gardens you can enjoy the labours of Margaret Barker. She still tends the beautiful gardens. She and her children, Norcombe and Sophie, are involved in the running of the castle.
Accommodation options at the castle include the Camp Estate - a manor house positioned on the grounds; Larnach Lodge - a recreation of a colonial farm building; and Stale Stay - a converted coach house built in 1871.
We chose the lodge, described as a "lovers' lie-in" on their website.
For $300, we had a night's accommodation, dinner for two in the castle's dining room, breakfast for two in the old stables, a tour of the castle and grounds and a bottle of bubbly when we arrived.
The views from the lodge were spectacular; there was a wonderful fine-dining menu and the breakfast filled up this Katikati farmer nicely. The staff were attentive, professional, interesting and informative.
During the three-course dinner, our maitre d' told us a story about the history of the castle and the Larnachs. She turned the lights down and there was a hint of mystery, intrigue and romance about the castle. Our dining partners had a 13 year old with them who asked if there was a ghost and her answer left us all wondering.
William Larnach, banker, entrepreneur and politician purchased the site in 1870. For the next 16 years he oversaw the construction of the Castle of his dreams.
William was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1833. He became a successful banker in the Australian Goldfields and in 1867 the London directors of the Bank of Otago (formed to profit from Otago gold) appointed him as chief Colonial Manager. He and his first wife, Eliza (he had three), sailed to Dunedin in 1867 to take up the position.
Larnach Castle was destined to become the finest home in Australasia.
The Scottish architect of the castle, R A Lawson, was imported by William and together they designed the castle.
The Gothic revival style was popular in Britain and was used for the castle with some antipodean changes. William's gothic baronial stone homestead was surrounded by delicate iron lacework verandas in the Australian fashion. The melding of the two styles established the castle as a New World building.
The castle's history and the family history were far from smooth, family squabbles, suicides and deaths saw the castle auctioned in 1901. It failed to sell and was leased to a religious group. In 1906, Donald Larnach, William's son, sold the castle to the Crown, which used it as a lunatic asylum until 1918.
It wasn't until 1927 under new owners the Purdies that the castle flourished again.
However, they sold it in 1940, emptied of furniture, and it became home to 80 soldiers during World War II. It was then again abandoned.
Visionaries and hard workers Barry and Margaret Barker bought the castle in 1967, beginning a labour of love in restoring the castle to its previous glory and securing the survival of its historic buildings.
It's well worth considering as a stopover in your South Island holiday schedule and, if you take up the opportunity to dine in the castle, have a little tipple of the house whisky and decide if there are any ghosts.
larnach@larnachcastle.co.nz