Caccia-Birch | |
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Caccia-Birch, Palmerston North | |
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General information | |
Location | 40°21′58″S175°37′36″E / 40.36605°S 175.626734°E |
Address | 112-130 Te Awe Awe Street, Palmerston North |
Town or city | Palmerston North |
Country | New Zealand |
Named for | William Caccia-Birch |
Construction started | 1892 |
Owner | Palmerston North City Council |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Ludolph Georg West |
Designated | 24-Nov-1983 |
Reference no. | 196 |
Caccia-Birch House (previously: Nannestad Homestead, Woodhey, Vice-Regal Residence, The Convalescent Home for Women of the Services) is a New Zealand colonial homestead and a Heritage New Zealand Category I Historic Place. [1] It is located at 130 Te Awe Awe Street in the city of Palmerston North. Completed in 1892, it is named after William Caccia Birch and his wife Maude, who gifted the property to the government in 1941. [2]
The property, owned by Palmerston North City Council, and operates as a conference and events venue on a cost-recovery basis. [3] The Coach House Museum includes photos of the property's previous owners.
The dwelling was designed by Danish-born architect Ludolph Georg West for Norwegian settler Jacob Nannestad and his wife Anna. In 1903, Englishman John Henderson Pollock Strang and his wife Mary purchased the property and named it "Woodhey". It became the temporary residence of the Governor-General of New Zealand, Lord Plunket, after a 1907 fire destroyed Parliament buildings. In 1921, Caccia Birch purchased the property; he was the adopted son of William Birch. In the 1930s, a portion of the property, the Hokowhitu Lagoon, was given to the Palmerston North City Council while the rest of the property was given to the government in 1941. The Caccia Birch House was used by the military during the Second World War and subsequently became a convalescent home for servicewomen and nurses. It was used as an educational institution during the period from 1960 to 1976. In 1983, it was given to the city council. The Caccia Birch Trust Board was formed in 1989, and in 1992, it was turned into a conference and function centre. [2]
The original property included a part of the Hokowhitu (Centennial) Lagoon. It is currently a 3 acres (1.2 ha) public property that overlooks the lagoon. It is 10 minutes from the airport. [4]
The original Nannestad building was a two-storey dwelling constructed of native timber weatherboard with a corrugated iron roof and the exterior is of sunburst style. After 1903, two conservatories, two nurseries, servants’ quarters, and a coach house were added by Strang. Lord Plunket added a billiard room, now named the Lord Plunket Room, as well as extra servants quarters that were subsequently demolished. [2]
The property includes a paved, sunken rose garden. It features a 100-year-old wisteria, as well as an American tulip tree, a Himalayan cedar, elms, and magnolias. The Manawatu Tree Trust planted native shrubs in the garden. [4]
Located in a residential area, the property can be rented for functions. [5]
Massey University is a university based in New Zealand, with significant campuses in Auckland, Palmerston North, and Wellington. Massey University has approximately 27,533 students, 18,358 of whom study either partly or fully by distance. Research is undertaken on all three campuses and people from over 130 countries study at the university. Data from the 2017 annual report shows that 42% of the domestic students are based in Auckland, 38% in Palmerston North and 20% in Wellington.
Pahiatua is a rural service town in the south-eastern North Island of New Zealand with a population of 2,840. It is between Masterton and Woodville on State Highway 2 and along the Wairarapa Line railway, 60 kilometres (37 mi) north of Masterton and 30 kilometres (19 mi) east of Palmerston North. It is usually regarded as being in the Northern Wairarapa. For local government purposes, since 1989 it has been in the Tararua District, which encompasses Eketāhuna, Pahiatua, Woodvillle, Dannevirke, Norsewood and the far east of the Manawatū-Whanganui region.
Palmerston North is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the Manawatu River, 35 km (22 mi) from the river's mouth, and 12 km (7 mi) from the end of the Manawatū Gorge, about 140 km (87 mi) north of the capital, Wellington. Palmerston North is the country's eighth-largest urban area, with an urban population of 82,500. The estimated population of Palmerston North city is 91,800.
Foxton is a town in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand - on the lower west coast of the North Island, in the Horowhenua district, 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Palmerston North and just north of Levin. The town is located close to the banks of the Manawatū River. It is situated on State Highway 1, roughly in the middle between Tongariro National Park and Wellington.
Manawatū-Whanganui is a region in the lower half of the North Island of New Zealand, whose main population centres are the cities of Palmerston North and Whanganui. It is administered by the Manawatū-Whanganui Regional Council, which operates under the name Horizons Regional Council.
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The Manawatu Rugby Football Union (MRU) is the governing body of the sport of rugby union in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand.
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The Regent on Broadway is a large theatre in Palmerston North, New Zealand, named so because it is the Regent Theatre on Broadway Avenue.
Old Government House is the former residence of the governor of New Zealand in Auckland, New Zealand.
Flock House was an agricultural and farm training school in Bulls, Rangitikei District, New Zealand from 1924 until 1987.
George Hamish Ormond Wilson was a New Zealand Member of Parliament representing the Labour Party, farmer, author and Chairman of the Historic Places Trust. He donated 30 acres of bush and his homestead to the Crown, which is now administered by the Manawatū District Council.
Mona Vale, with its homestead formerly known as Karewa, is a public park of 4 ha in the Christchurch suburb of Fendalton. The homestead and gate house are both listed as heritage buildings with Heritage New Zealand (NZHPT). The fernery and the rose garden, and pavilion with the setting of the park along the Avon River, add to the attractiveness of the property. It is one of the major tourist attractions of Christchurch.
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Arthur Montague "Joe" Ongley was a New Zealand lawyer, politician, and cricket and rugby union player and administrator. Born in Oamaru, he later lived in Wellington, Napier, and Hokitika, before settling in Feilding. He excelled in a number of sports and Ongley Park in Palmerston North, used for cricket and rugby, is named for him. His most notable sporting activity was as a cricketer, and he played four first-class matches. He served as an administrator on the New Zealand Cricket Council and was the organisation's president. He was a solicitor and then barrister in Feilding, and became Crown Solicitor in Palmerston North. He was a member of the Feilding Borough council and was the town's mayor from 1913 to 1919.
Hokowhitu Lagoon, also sometimes called Centennial Lagoon, is a natural oxbow lake in the city of Palmerston North, New Zealand. Hokowhitu was created from a meander of the Manawatu River. Many features surround the lagoon including a walkway, Caccia Birch House, and a former campus of a Massey University — the facilities of which are now used by the New Zealand Defence Force, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and the Abbey Theatre Company. The lagoon also gives its name to the surrounding suburb, Hokowhitu.
Eric Gordon Fletcher was a rugby union and rugby league player. He represented the New Zealand rugby league team in 1 test against Australia in 1935. In the process he became the 239th player to represent New Zealand. Fletcher also played rugby union representatively for Manawatu province and the combined Manawatu-Horowhenua side whilst a member of the Old Boys and later Massey College club sides. After moving to Auckland he also represented Auckland in a sub-union match with Thames. After switching to rugby league he played for the Richmond Rovers club and played for Auckland, and Auckland Province. He was also a talented cricketer and played a handful of games for Manawatu in his younger years. After retiring from rugby he played representative golf in the Manawatu region and in 1939 played in the New Zealand Golf Open.