The Lodge
One of the last
of its era.
Built in 1882 when Hamilton's Sheep Station was split up, and still standing as true today as it did then.
Our history
Built from the
land around it.
Peter's Farm Lodge is one of the last original remaining Central Otago homesteads of its era. It was built in 1882 when Hamilton's Sheep Station was split up. Captain Hamilton was highly regarded in farming circles and when gold was discovered in the foothills of the Rock and Pillar Range — part of his station — the goldfield was named 'Hamiltons' in his honour.
The homestead was built of rock from the local quarry, which lay between Waipiata and Kokonga, as well as rock found scattered about the farmland when Flat Cap Volcano exploded. On top of this, mud brick was also used — a product with surprising thermal qualities, essential in the sometimes harsh Central Otago region.
One thing used in limited quantities was milled timber, due to the high cost of transportation in those days; it would have had to be shipped from Dunedin via bullock wagon.
The homestead stands as true today as it did in 1882 — an absolute credit to the pioneering craftsmen of that era.
Your hosts
Peter and Keiko,
since 1989.
Peter has been running Peter's Farm Lodge and Tregonning Cottage since 1989. He worked as a photographer in Queenstown before returning to the family farm to start the lodge in two of the original homesteads dating back to 1882.
Peter's father, Dickson, purchased Riverslea Farm in 1953, which still had the original homestead on it — now Tregonning Cottage. In 1960 the neighbour's farm came up for sale, which also had a historic homestead, and was bought to extend the family farm. With two historical homesteads lying empty, Peter took on the challenge of turning them into comfortable, welcoming accommodation.
At first the main attraction was giving international travellers a taste of farm life — horse trekking, kayaking, fishing and gold panning. Plans changed when the Otago Rail Trail opened, bringing visitors from all over the world, aged from 2 to 92.
In 2007 Keiko came from Japan to work on the farm through the WWOOFing exchange programme. Her job was to ride the trail so Peter could get good winter photos for his Otago Rail Trail Guide Book, which he finished that year. Peter and Keiko now welcome visitors of all nations to the lodge every day.
The lodge
