Variety of interests and of artistic talents

Press, 19 December 1985, Page 24

Variety of interests and of artistic talents

The first Holme Station Festival will be held during the second week-end in February next year (February 7, 8 and 9). With many talented artists from a wide variety of disciplines, the event aims

to encourage enjoyment of the arts. It starts with a traditional Maori welcome and concert on the Friday evening, and includes—for in-stance-performances by the Southern Ballet Theatre,

the Amici Trio, the Flying Hat Company, Margaret Mahy, and Steve Thomas. The Southern Ballet will perform The ThreeCornered Hat, Pas de Quatre and Tales from Beatrix Potter.

The Amici Trio consists of John Pattinson (piano), Judi Pattinson (cello) and Lambert Scott (violin). The Flying Hat Company is a professional puppettheatre group that performs in primary schools and at

summer festivals.

Margaret Mahy is a delightful story-teller as well as a writer, and Steve Thomas is a performer who uses a combination of poetry and music to convey satire and humour.

Other performing artists involved are Liz Ensor, who accompanies her own singing with auto harp and acoustic guitar, and The Players—Elizabeth and William Grubb.

A marquee will be set up with a stage, seating, and a covered walkway to the homestead, and tickets are limited to ensure good viewing of theatre, ballet, and other performances. Food and wine from the region will be a speciality, with a seafood banquet on Friday, the gala Waitaki lamb dinner before the ballet on Saturday, and shish kebabs and spit-roasted lamb at Sunday’s garden party. A profusion of floral arrangements will provide a “romantic” element in the homestead and marquee, and paintings from the

Bank of New Zealand and Holme Station Festival Children’s Art Exhibition will be on display. So will the work of three “resident artists”—Cath Brown (weaver), Rosemary •Campbell (painter and print-maker), and Philip Trusttum (painter). Bus tours have been arranged to places of interest, and an inter-denominational church service at St Mary’s in Timaru is another option.

Master of ceremonies to co-ordinate the whole event is Adrian More, a familiar figure to Timaru audiences because of his performances in South Canterbury Drama League productions.

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The Holme Station was first taken up by David Innes in the middle of last century. In 1853, he acquired 25,000 acres (more than 10,100 ha) south of the Pareora River and, in 1856, this was extended to the Hunter Hills. In 1864, Edward Elworthy entered into partnership with Innes, but the property was soon split up, with Elworthy taking the upper country which later became known as Holme Station. At the time of Edward Elworthy’s death, in 1899,

the station consisted of about 52,090 acres (more than 21,000 ha) of freehold, and 14,000 acres (more than 5600 ha) of leasehold, and carried about 60,000 sheep. Some of the land was sold off, but the remainder was worked in partnership by Arthur and Percy Elworthy until 1910, when it was again divided — Arthur retaining the Holme Station and Percy taking property at Gordon’s Valley. After World War H, Holme Station was divided further to provide six farms

for returned servicemen. In 1950, the Walters family bought the homestead block. Mr and Mrs Rex Walters have maintained both the homestead — a replacement for the original that was burnt down shortly before World War I — and the beautiful and extensive grounds in which they have planted two acres of daffodils. All the ground-floor rooms have been merged into one to provide a setting for wedding receptions, balls and parties.