On Saturday about 130 people gathered at the former Hayes Engineering Works in Oturehua, now administered by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, for the official opening of the Hayes Historic Homestead.
The opening came a day after the trust announced the Timeball Station in Lyttelton would have to be demolished because of damage it sustained in the latest Christchurch earthquake.
The significance of the timing of the homestead opening was not lost on trust chairwoman Shonagh Kenderdine.
"After last week it's good to see a property standing up and the community coming out to support it," she said.
"The Timeball was our flagship site, but our second priority [in the South Island] was this property, so it's good to have this opening to celebrate."
While the property was administered by the trust, she told the Hayes family "this will always be your place".
Trust South Island property manager Paul McGahan thanked Hayes family members, who travelled to the event from as far away as Northland, and thanked many of them for their input into restoring the homestead.
Family forefather Ernest Hayes and his wife, Hannah, moved to the property in 1887, where they first lived in a small cottage that still stands at the engineering works. They built and moved into the homestead, made of mud bricks, in the early 20th century.
The home had many innovations for the time, Mr McGahan said. These included an indoor laundry, flush toilet, a shower over the bath and radio throughout the house.
Although the homestead was occupied by the Hayes family for many years, once it was unoccupied it fell into a state of disrepair until conservation and furnishing work was undertaken by the trust, Mr McGahan said.
It was opened to the public last summer, but work had continued on it for the past 12 months, until it was at a stage where an official opening could be held, he said.
