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3 January 2018

NZ's LARGEST Castle - 'Campbell Park Estate'

A castle-style mansion built in 1876 isn't something you'd expect to see down a quiet, country road in Otekaieke in the Waitaki Valley.



It's the biggest castle in New Zealand, with an interesting history. Dating back to 1857 an Otago run holder named William Dansey bought a sheep and cattle station that would later become 'Campbell Park Estate'.
In 1861 Dansey built the first house, 'Dansey's Hut' and then later that year sold the property to Robert Campbell the son of a wealthy Scottish family.
In 1868 Campbell married and although he lived in a two story-house, he decided it wasn't big enough so had a workforce of Scottish craftsmen shipped from Scotland, plus materials from Italy and Scotland were also shipped over. Campbell sent his wife, Emma Hawdon, back to England temporarily while the 35-room limestone castle was built.
Robert Campbell died in 1889 aged 47 years, and a year later his wife Emma died - they had no children to pass the property on to, so the estate was sold to the New Zealand Education Board and became 'Campbell Park School for boys'. 
Then in 1987 the boys school closed and the estate was passed into private ownership. Campell Park Estate has hosted movie production crews, multiple sporting events, musical, arts and cultural festivals.
In 2015 the property was up for sale again and was purchased by a Chinese-owned company. The Chinese plan to create an educational facility for Chinese students as well as tourist accomodation.


Campbell Park Estate really does look impressive and while I was researching about it, I discovered it includes; 32 homes , an educational campus with dormitories, kitchen facilities, an administration block, 7 classrooms, a library, a theatre, a gym, swimming pool, tennis courts, workshops and a number of historic buildings.
There are also old stables, a large restored villa, two smaller Oamaru stone buildings, an orchard and gardens.


To get there we drove along 'Special School Road' which is off the Kurow-Duntroon Road (State Highway 83). Unfortunately the estate is closed to the public so I had to make do with taking photos from the side of the road.





2 comments:

  1. I was sent to this
    All boys school
    In 1972. As a
    12 year old I was
    Placed in taylour house suited for children my own age yes dorms we slept in
    There was 3 houses all up
    Taylour, dansey and Campbell
    I ended up being in all 3 houses. I spend in total just over 3 years
    Before being
    Sent back to
    My parents.
    I have. Some horrible
    Story's
    About this
    Place
    And cruel
    Punishment
    Dished out by
    House
    Masters
    And
    Others in charge

    I do also have some happy
    Moment s
    But largely the bad outweighs the good, I do in hinesight
    Blame myself
    Because I was a bad and mixed
    Up child.i cannot change the past
    But I can and choose to move forward and forgive,
    Tear down all 3 houses that's my
    Suggestion, keep all other
    Buildings
    Go well
    From
    Former
    Boy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was there anonymous I know!!

      Delete

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