The solid stone walls of the Cluden Station homestead, at Tarras, appear to be standing firm but little else remains undamaged after Tuesday night's fire.
The cause of the blaze, which engulfed the two-storey, eight-bedroom house, was being investigated by a member of the New Zealand Fire Service from Dunedin yesterday.
A Fire Service spokesman said the investigation was ''ongoing'' but the fire was not considered to be suspicious.
Tarras Volunteer Fire Brigade Chief Fire Officer Mark Davidson said the cause was ''going to take a bit of finding'' because of the partial collapse of the area where the fire started.
Parts of the ground floor of the Purvis family home are thought to be at least 135 years old, although a second floor was added in recent years.
Station co-owner Lesley Purvis told the Otago Daily Times yesterday no-one was home when the fire started, apart from Claws the cat, who escaped unharmed.
Mrs Purvis said she was visiting her daughter and new grandchild in Wanaka at the time.
Her sons Sam and Ben, who live nearby, were quickly on the scene but there was little they or seven volunteer fire crew could do to prevent the fire spreading throughout the building.
Some furniture, including a piano, appeared largely undamaged, and an antique rocking horse and a few photos were saved.
Memorabilia connected with Mrs Purvis' husband, the late Neil Purvis, who played rugby for the All Blacks and Otago, were lost.
Mrs Purvis said she was born in Dunedin and moved into the homestead in 1978 after marrying Mr Purvis.
Neighbour Bill Gibson (88), at Malvern Downs Station, said the Cluden house was built by the Dalgety family in 1884 for the manager of the huge Morven Hills run, John Stronach. Cluden and Malvern Stations were part of Morven Hills at that time.
Mr Gibson said the fire was ''very sad''.
''[The house] was part of the history of Tarras.''
