03 Magazine: February 08, 2023

Remaking history
Careful and clever renovations ensured this 1880s house not
only escaped being knocked down or becoming home to
livestock, but also earned it multiple prestigious awards.
WORDS KIM DUNGEY | PHOTOS EWEN LIVINGSTONE
I
t’s hard to believe this grand homestead could have ended up housing livestock
instead of being lovingly restored.
Co-owner Gloria Hurst says previous generations looked at different options for
the Papakaio, North Otago, property. One was to knock it down and rebuild. Another
was to store grain upstairs and pigs below.
“It was just a general feeling at that time. Where do you start with an old building
like this?”