Less than an hour’s travel absent from Christchurch CBD will carry you to a pastoral paradise overlooking Mount Hutt. Down some filth streets, previous some sheep, over some hills and as a result of a paddock will carry you to the most not likely of lodging – a historic practice carriage.
The Carriage at Rockwood Station seems to be like it has been below for a long time, but in reality, it only just opened this year. Just after years of renovating the historic items train carriage, homeowners Ben and Cheryl have breathed daily life again into a piece of history for curious travellers to get pleasure from.
Fifth technology farmers in the Windwhistle spot, they definitely care for the land and the record driving it. Getting expended many years bringing back the indigenous bush, there are about 40 hectares of forest at the rear of the homestead with tracks that permit you to enjoy the peaceful tranquillity of this put.
Liz Carlson/Things
The Carriage at Rockwood Station opened its doorways this 12 months.
Read through A lot more:
* The most effective outside baths in the South Island
* New Zealand’s finest glamping escapes
* Cattle Flat Hut: Why this Banking companies Peninsula very small house gives a good escape
Liz Carlson/Things
Sheepskin beanbags make for a cosy place to curl up in front of the hearth.
You will listen to bellbirds singing at dusk and potentially even see a kererū or fantail/pīwakawaka swooping about the trees. With a good deal of tramps and walks all over the station, you will not be bored.
Powering the carriage is the Hororata River with a organic swimming gap, properly for cooling off in summer season or checking out with the little ones in wintertime. If you’re courageous plenty of you can leap in for a little bit of a polar plunge immediately after a scorching outdoor tub!
Liz Carlson/Things
Glamping in the large region is a wonderful way to get away with the household.
The superior nation farms of rural Canterbury are nothing at all short of impressive. Rolling hills lorded around by wide snowy mountains and glaciers. In fact, extra and a lot more of them have developed boutique tourism aspect hustles, welcoming readers to land that potentially may well not be general public otherwise.
As the environment pivots and our borders remain closed, it is essential to equally evolve and increase but also glimpse just after our neighborhood corporations. In simple fact, it’s never ever been a superior time to be in New Zealand. You’ll uncover you frequently have spots to yourself that you may possibly not have had pre-pandemic, and you will also be supporting family members and modest enterprises who give inventive activities.
Liz Carlson/Stuff
The double outdoor bathtub at The Carriage sits future to a effervescent creek.
Giving you a style for very small residing, after a pair of nights in the carriage, I felt drawn to the notion of most likely one particular day dwelling in a tiny property. There is some thing nice about experience bundled up and comfortable, but also with a lot of out of doors room to breathe. Forget about refurbished caravans, aged trains are the new development!
New Zealand has so significantly record, but it is often dismissed in gentle of destinations like Europe. Individually I really like looking at historic websites and artefacts celebrated and restored. We ought to hold places of significance together with or even higher than new builds and contemporary architecture. The rail historical past of the South Island is large and profound, but unfortunately overlooked. With any luck , with far more initiatives like this, we’ll start off to see far more.
Liz Carlson/Stuff
The second mattress and bunk in the carriage are great for mates or youngsters.
With the out of doors deck soaking up all the sunshine, the initially issue we did just after arriving was light-weight up the barbecue and snicker with unbridled pleasure at how special this place is. It is uncommon to uncover an escape where by you really don’t want to action outside of the fence, and experience like you can kick up your ft and remain a when.
With a big city nearby, you can conveniently overlook the troubles of the earth, absent from wi-fi and 5G. Carry food with you, and just take pleasure in a character-stuffed getaway with all the comforts of residence – which include woolly blankets and loads of marshmallows.
The author was hosted by Rockwood Station.
Staying secure: New Zealand is at present less than Covid-19 restrictions. Remain residence and observe the guidance at covid19.govt.nz.
About the Author
