The tale of Tarureka
Donald grandchildren 1920
Transformation of butter factory to wedding venue
Wairarapa pioneer James Donald and his wife Elizabeth emigrated from Melbourne to Wellington in 1856 and settled in Taita. From Taita, James regularly walked over the Remutakas on land-buying missions until he gathered 2650 acres on the northeastern side of Lake Wairarapa.
In 1868 he and Elizabeth moved to Tarureka (meaning – ‘sweet herbs’) in Featherston to run five dairy farms and to build a barn to house the farms’ Clydesdale horses and the family ponies.
Two years later the Donalds built the Homestead, a cottage for the single men’s quarters and more stables. In the same year, they built a dairy factory – the Tarureka Butter Factory – the first of its kind in the Wairarapa. Milk from the five farms was transported to the factory by horse and brake.
By 1901, over 600 cows were supplying the factory. After James’ death in 1899, his daughter Bessie took over the farm. Bessie travelled to Denmark in the 1880s to learn how to operate a large dairy factory, and later imported the first Topliss combined churn and separator into New Zealand.
The factory closed in 1916 and was pulled down in 1924. The remaining historically listed buildings still stand at Tarureka today, thanks to the care and attention of the four generations of the Donald family who lived there until the Estate was sold to the present owner.
The two-storey barn was converted into a popular restaurant ‘The Loft’ in the 1990s. Since 2001 it has been run as a wedding venue.
The Loft is one of the oldest and largest existing barns in New Zealand, its survival helped by the reinforced concrete that makes up its floor and the heart totara used in its construction. Sensitive restoration has transformed the historic building into a stunning setting for wedding ceremonies and receptions.
Tarureka history in pictures. All photos copyright Robyn McConachie and Tarureka Limited
