Kaumātua John Maihi (centre) performs a blessing at the renaming of the former Acacia Park Motel. Photo / Lewis Gardner
Kaumātua John Maihi (centre) performs a blessing at the renaming of the former Acacia Park Motel. Photo / Lewis Gardner
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The former Acacia Park Motel in Whanganui's Anzac Parade has two new names.
Tupoho kaumātua John Maihi, assisted by Gavin Brooks, blessed the motel units, the lodge and the site ina renaming ceremony on Saturday.
New Raglan-based owners Belinda Beatty and husband Stephen Feast, of TELT Projects, bought the property before the Covid-19 level 4 announcement and are now renovating it.
The motel units are now named Magnolia Gardens and the lodge at the rear of the property will be known as Tōtarapuka Estate, which was the name of the pā that stood on the site before Scottish immigrant Andrew Duncan bought the land in 1840. Duncan also named his homestead Tōtarapuka.
The units are being renovated and remodelled for long-term tenants and the lodge will be refurbished.
"I really wanted to change the energy of the place and I thought a ceremony was needed," said Beatty, who gave birth to Madeline in March.
"With having a new baby, a 3-year-old to care for and then Covid restrictions we haven't been able to get here until now."
Gavin Brooks leads the blessing walk followed by Belinda Beatty, Stephen Feast with their daughters Madeline and Isabella.
Photo / Lewis Gardner
As an Australian, Beatty was not familiar with Māori traditions and a conversation with a friend led her to John Maihi.
"My friend Lisa Warbrick, whom I knew in Australia, was staying with us during the lockdown and I mentioned that I would like to hold some sort of ceremony at the property.
"She is Māori and she said I should contact a kaumātua and made contact with her Whanganui connections to arrange it."
Maihi said he was very impressed with Beatty and Feast's plans for the site.
"I wasn't quite sure what it was about beforehand but I think what they are doing is awesome and they are awesome people.
"They are obviously very astute and they are providing housing for Whanganui people, which is just brilliant."
Beatty says the property is their largest purchase to date and the refurbishment is an exciting project.
"Although we don't live here, we have spent a lot of time here building a brilliant team of local people who support our intentions and do fantastic work.
"Whanganui is a wonderful community and it is a good feeling to know that our investments are also providing employment for tradespeople as well as safe, affordable housing for tenants."
Beatty was a Royal Australian Air Force pilot with 15 years' experience and Feast was a solutions specialist working in precision agriculture before they became property investors.
When their daughter Isabella was born three years ago, their mortgage repayments in Perth were so high, neither could take time out of the workforce to care for her.
"We decided that we needed to find a better way to live so we sought education in investing wisely and that journey led us to New Zealand," Beatty said.
"We didn't set out with altruistic motives but we realised there was a serious housing crisis in Whanganui and we were in a position to help with that."
The formation of their company TELT (This Extraordinary Life Together) set them on a path to become caring housing providers as well as shrewd investors and Beatty said she and Feast have entered into a "win-win" situation with their investments.
Besides Magnolia Gardens and Tōtarapuka, they own 10 residential properties in Whanganui, which are largely tenanted through referrals from the Whanganui People's Centre and the Grace Foundation Charitable Trust.
