News & Events

7 April 2016

Local history gem discussed at AGM

Local history gem discussed at AGM

Hawke’s Bay Founders members attending their AGM for 2015-16 at Duart House, Havelock North, were treated to an excellent summary of their past year’s activities by their new President, Paddy Bayley. This was followed by an interesting talk by two Havelock North identities on the history of Duart House.

Among highlights for the past year, Paddy mentioned the previous year’s AGM which was attended by the society’s President, Adrian Gover, and his wife Margaret. Also at that meeting, Immediate Past President for the Hawke’s Bay branch, Nanette Roberts, was thanked warmly for her magnificent efforts in steering the group for 19 years.

Adrian spoke of the need for Founders to adopt new technologies which matched the current age and which provide improved communications. To this end Founders now holds meetings by teleconferencing and has launched a website which carries essential information for new and existing members. Its main archives are also being digitised.

Other notable highlights in the past year’s calendar for Hawke’s Bay Founders, included visits to two historical and iconic station homesteads, ‘Tuna Nui’ in the foothills of the Kaweka Ranges, just off the Napier-Taihape highway and ‘Oruawharo’, close to Takapau on the Takapau Plains.

Closer to ‘home’ at the recent AGM, and supported by a tableful of period photographs and memorabilia, Peggy van Asch and Cary Greenwood jointly presented their experiences in seeing Duart House and its grounds restored from a long decline and given a new lease on life following the property being purchased by the former Havelock North Borough Council in 1975.

Peggy and Cary explained Duart House was built by Scottish-born Allan McLean, in 1882. He became known as ‘Tuki’ McLean owing to his purchasing of the lease of the 11,000 ha Tuki Tuki Station. Duart House was given the Gaelic name Duart in memory of Duart Castle on the island of Mull, home to the Chief of the McLean clan.

Tuki Mclean was known in local circles as something of a character. For example, he disliked formal gardens, trees and shrubs and insisted the grass and grazing livestock come right up to the house. Early photographs show the house standing rather forlornly and bare amidst its surrounding paddocks of 150 acres.

The property passed from the McLean family to the Greenwoods in the 1930s. Peggy van Asch and Cary Greenwood (descendant of the Greenwood owners) worked long hours on its restoration which included it being re-carpeted and painted.

This attractive old homestead is now well maintained by Council and by local support groups and is a favoured venue for a variety of public functions including weddings.

 PHOTO CAPTIONS

Duart House, Havelock North, built in 1882

At Hawke’s Bay Founders AGM, from left, Branch Secretary, Richard Bayley, Peggy van Asch, Cary Greenwood and Branch President, Paddy Bayley

Paddy Bayley, left, presents Cary Greenwood with her Founders membership certificate.

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