Walking the grounds of New Zealand’s historic southern castle you would imagine that the building would be the obvious hero of the piece yet we found ourselves entranced by a garden high up on the peninsula that was truly breathtaking.

2020 was a polarising year, for some it was business as usual for others it was the ‘extreme challenge’ of their career as they were forced to gather their courage and road test their business ‘pivoting’ skills seeking reinvention, new markets, products, services, methodology. As small business owners ourselves connected to the retail/tourism/hospitality industries we immediately understood the fragility of local tourism when a central Dunedin hotel was mothballed for an unknown period of time. In that moment our third largest annual window cleaning contract disappeared.

Many local businesses are reliant on the expenditure of overseas visitors and domestic travellers for income and while Nick and I found ourselves at lockdown suddenly without one key client, many others lost much of their projected future trade and remain today in the realms of a re-building or re-establishing phase within their tourism based businesses, places like Larnach Castle perhaps.

My curiosity was piqued about the castle in recent months because of two things. 1. 2020 + life in the more frugal lane meant weekend explorations became a lot of walking on the Otago Peninsula, nick carrying a very heavy camera pack, myself a very heavy food/drink bag and we fell in love with the place. 2. Nick’s photography assignment at the castle during spring inspired me to revisit a location that in my mind had been allocated to ‘visitors’ and ‘tourists’. Nick was thrilled to work on such a special Dunedin property and photographed it over a few weeks at every possible moment of the day. Working through these photographs, we were reminded what an extraordinary place this is right on our doorstep not just for international travellers but as an important part of our local heritage.

Grandmas visit in January provided the perfect opportunity to visit the castle and grounds on a warm sunny Dunedin Sunday. It truly is an interesting place and we were pleasantly surprised to discover a locals deal where you pay for the first visit (garden/castle or combo) and receive 12 months of free entry. This affords locals the opportunity for the castle to become not just a potential outing for future visiting family & friends but a place to utilise more regularly. For outdoor & garden enthusiasts the opportunity to view the seasonal progression of the grounds throughout the year, for parents a spot for energetic children to run freely or or simply a place to get away from it all - catch your breath over a cuppa from The Ballroom Cafe served in or outdoors.

Today i will be sharing our family tour of the 7 acre+ grounds which are one of only six New Zealand Gardens of International Significance. Being an outdoor & garden lover myself I’ve been mulling over our visit to the Castle garden with its many diverse outdoor zones which include:
▪ the patterned garden ▪the lost rock garden ▪the serpentine walk ▪the rain forest ▪the south seas garden ▪the alice lawn ▪ the laburnum arch and green room. There is a wishing well, a dungeon and characters from Alice and Wonderland popping up here and there.

The garden is colourful and whimsical with areas that are more structured and layered with obvious consideration while other zones feel more colourful, wild and free.

It is a garden that evokes the same feelings of curiosity and intrigue that seem to inhabit the corridors of the castle itself.

It would be remiss to share a tour of the grounds without touching on the history of the castle that the garden is connected to and the key families for whom this peninsula property has been home over the past 150 years.

150 years

Larnach Castle celebrates its 150 year anniversary this year, designed by R.A Lawson building work on the castle began in 1871 with the Larnach family (William and Eliza Larnach moving into their new (yet incomplete) home in 1874. It would take European craftsman 12 years to finish the elaborate interior detailing which features 43 rooms finished with NZ native timber and materials sourced from across Europe.

1841 - 1906 The Larnach Family

Looking back at the owners of significance at this estate over the past 150 years, three families emerge. Let’s consider the Larnach family with their six children as family #1 - ‘the originals or the OG’s if you prefer.’ Interwoven through the Larnach family records is a tale of vision, accomplishment, leadership, loss, scandal, heartbreak, it ultimately reads as quite a sad story. Following William Larnachs death in 1898 at his own hand, there was 8 years of conflict over the division of property amongst remaining family members. The castle was eventually sold in 1906 to the government with furniture and chattels auctioned off.

William Larnach

It is clear that William Larnach was no ordinary man. Born in 1833 in New South Wales, William hailed from Scottish ancestry and was raised in the Hunter Valley as the son of an affluent landholder. Following his upbringing on the rural property, William went on to pursue a successful career in banking in Melbourne then Victoria. At the aged of 34 William Larnach travelled to NZ in 1867 around the peak of the goldrush following his appointment as the Manager of The Bank of Otago which serviced the gold fields.

During his lifetime William was an influential businessman and politician, with his merchant empire Guthrie and Larnach and commercial involvement in banking, shipping, farming and land speculation. His personal life tells the story of significant loss with his first wife and mother of his six children Eliza Guise passing away at age 38 (1880), his second wife Mary Alleyne at aged 38 (1887) and daughter Kate in her late 20’s (1891). Tragedy, scandal and misfortune are dominant themes in the latter years of his life with Larnach’s commercial ventures ultimately leaving him on the verge of bankruptcy. The grand peninsula castle was protected from creditors as it was placed in his wife’s name. William Larnach died in 1898 aged 65.

Family #1 for 35 years the first family - the Larnach family build then live in their castle high in the hills with family ownership ultimately ending in conflict and the sale of a property that has been labelled the most ostentatious 19th century home in NZ.

According to historical information provided by Larnach Castle, the estate has been owned by a number of people over the past 150 years and used for a variety of purposes including as a nuns holiday retreat, a mental asylum, a home for shell shocked soldiers following the trauma of war, dwelling for 80 US soldiers billeted during WW2. It is clear that for many years the home was left to disrepair perhaps the sheer scale and expense required prohibiting owners from maintaining the necessary upkeep of the 43 room estate.

1927 - 1939 The Purdie Family

One family who owned and invested significantly in the restoration of the property and grounds to their original glory were the Purdie family - Jackson Purdie and his wife bought the castle from the Crown in 1927. During their time of ownership (1927 - 1939) the Purdies had electricity connected with Mrs Purdie a keen gardener investing significant time into the clearing and restoration of the grounds. Jackson Purdies ill health causing him to put the castle on the market with difficulty finding a buyer. Family #2 for 12 years the Purdie family, restore, maintain, develop the property, eventually selling it at auction,

1967 to present day - the Barker Family

28 years went by between the sale of Larnach Castle by the Purdies in 1939 until 1967 when the Barker Family discovered and purchased their peninsula property. Unfortunately those 28 years were tough on the estate and by 1967 the condition of the castle had deteriorated to the point of near ruin, the roof no longer water tight causing considerable internal water damage to the interior of the castle, the grounds overgrown and unkept, the ballroom no longer a place to party but a holding pen for livestock.

Holiday Inspiration

The Barker family Margaret and the late Barry Barker purchased the rundown estate with 35 acres of grounds in 1967 after visiting on a south island summer holiday, they moved into the castle in March and began a lifelong family project, Oldest daughter Sophie arrived just six weeks after they bought the castle which would became home to the family including son Norcombe who is currently the executive director of the Larnach Castle Trust and has been actively involved in managing the castle since 1990.

54 years have gone by since 1967 and it is difficult to contemplate the work, vision, sacrifice, investment that must have shaped the days and months and years that the Barker family have worked to initially restore and refurnish the castle then develop, extend, protect and preserve its future as an important piece of Dunedin’s heritage and as a visitor destination.

The growth and adaptation involved in providing a unique castle experience for visitors has included offering accommodation on site at the Larnach Lodge and Stable and in recent years the additional acquisition of nearby exclusive lodge ‘Camp Estate’ providing 5 star luxury accomodation for discerning guests. A unique and spectacular wedding, conference or event space, the castle has focused on finding new and special ways for visitors to enjoy the site be it a large event or having a meaningful meal via the ‘trust the chef menu’ or a high tea with the ladies.

In the Garden

The vision, workmanship and sheer grind reflected in establishing such a large scale (7+ acre) garden that is worthy of the Castle it wraps around is a real credit to Margaret Barker who has extensively developed the grounds. When considering the high and hardy environment the Castle sits within and walking from what is essentially one beautiful outdoor garden room to another, each one full of varied flourishing forms of flora, it is quite astonishing what Margaret has created at the Castle.

Our Garden Tour

The location of the castle is spectacular, we were lucky enough to visit on a beautiful fine day and the views down the harbour were outstanding. It was a fantastic way to take some time out and spend a few hours exploring, imagining, reflecting and just enjoying a place that is on our doorstep.

Upon Reflection

As adults, many of us learn to favour pragmatism, rationalism, realism as we navigate our way through life yet here by this old castle on a hill it almost grants permission to see through the lens of a child with imagination, creativity, colour, and wonder.

We had a fantastic morning exploring the ground the grounds of Larnach Castle and touring the building itself. Inspired by the colours of the castle we have been working on an additional photography project called ‘Larnach Castle - In Colour’,

Think axminster carpets paired with muted rainbow tones reflective of a place that is a monument to light and shadow. To view ‘Larnach Castle - in colour’ click HERE