HISTORIC WOOLSHED STILL IN USE

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32862, 10 March 1972, Page 7

HISTORIC WOOLSHED STILL IN USE

Cheviot County has an early association with the colonisation of New Zealand and witness to this is on the Main Highway north where the old woolshed still stands.

The woolshed was built in the early 1860’s from timber hewn and taken from the bush on the north side of the Waiau River mouth. The timber was carted by bullock waggon across the river and 16 miles to the site. The shed was built by carpenters who lived and worked on the Cheviot Hills Estate in the employ of “ReadyMoney Robinson.” Last century the woolshed was reputed to be the largest in the dominion. In 1863-64 the woolshed carried out a record shear of 43,600 sheep, 27,500 of which were ewes, and from these 13,198 lambs were tailed. It is recorded that 22 shearers were on the board. SHEEP SALE It was around this woolshed and where the Cheviot District High School is now situated, that the sale of stock was conducted when the Cheviot Hills Estate was subdivided in 1893. At this three-day sale sheep were auctioned in 10,000 lots and over 108,000 were sold. The tree background keeps the old woolshed in its natural setting and makes it an attractive camera shot especially in autumn. Small

flocks are still shorn in the shed and sheep graze around its decaying walls. Directly opposite on the highway stands the Cheviot Trust Hotel in an attractive garden setting. Its modern architecture speaks of the changing building pattern over the years. Although both with different uses it is not hard to imagine shearers’ thirsts being quenched to satisfaction in either building and many a barrel would have found its way into the old shed on hot days last century. The Cheviot Trust Hotel was opened in December, 1957, designed by H. Francis Willis and built by W. R. Marks. In June, 1965, a lounge bar addition was built by the Christchurch building contractors, Cutler Bros. Then to provide sit-down drinking, alterations and additions to the public bar were carried out in 1968 by P. F. Pritchett, then of Cheviot. During 1971 another change took place when Eaton Building, Ltd, of Cheviot, made extensions to the public bar and a manager’s flat was added. The guest capacity is now 14. Hall and MacKenzie, architects of Christchurch, designed the last three additions.