Historic lodge where Queen Mum stayed on the market

The Hawke’s Bay is unusually blessed with stately homesteads. There’s the whopping Wallingford in Pōrangahau, the charming Oruawharo in Takapau, the gingerbread-esque Ashcott in Ashley Clinton, timber panelled Gwavas in Tikokino and rose-wrapped Woburn and heritage-listed Mount Vernon in Waipukurau.

As lovely as each of these historic homes is, few of them hold a candle to Greenhill Lodge in Hastings. Greenhill has a turret.

The lodge sits at 103 Greenhill Road, in Raukawa, Hastings. It’s out in the middle of rolling countryside, with paddocks, fields and literal green hills as far as the eye can see. However, Hastings township is just 17 minutes by car, and the village of Havelock North is 19 minutes away.

The home is surrounded by manicured formal gardens which are often open to visitors.

Well, just look at the place! It has a turret, which Stephen says are quite rare these days. You can access the turret, there’s even a daybed on the first floor and a lookout platform, “to scope the land“ on the top floor.

"The original owner didn't have any children. So unlike a lot of early Hawke's Bay homes, where there's lots of nanny rooms and small rooms, we don't have any of that, which probably made it a lot easier to alter when it was done," says Stephen.

What it has instead, is a large, rimu panelled billiards room, like something from an episode of Downton Abbey.

Which is appropriate, because it became a royal residence for two days in 1958, when Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, stayed at the home. The dowager queen asked the New Zealand authorities who were arranging her tour for a stay in a home typical of early pioneering days, and they picked Greenhill.

"I've lived in old homes before, but this one's got a real warm feeling to it. A lot of the guests come to stay - international - they always comment how homely it is," says Stephen.

"It was very run down 25 years ago, and couple of guys did it right up. They did a great job of it. So it was re-roofed, re-plumbed, rewired, fully restored, 20 years ago. We’ve just added our little bit to it."

The home has five bedrooms, two with their own sitting rooms, and all with ensuites. The large chef’s kitchen has a living room off it, and there’s a formal dining room and sitting room, with a corner window snug, as well.

Beyond the home, there are 70 hectares of pasture, which you can graze livestock on. About four or five hectares of the property is gardens.

Built to be a private residence for McClean and his wife, and her four sons from a previous marriage, the home was converted into a luxury lodge about 20 years ago.

“It's a great place to relax, enjoy the garden, swim," says Stephen. Many of their guests take private tours of the region from the home, and many of their guests are keen golfers who come to play at the cape or Craggy Range wineries.

Stephen's favourite spot in the house is the lounge. "It's just got that 14 and a half foot stud, and it's just got that ambience of space and history."

"I've absolutely enjoy it, but I'm 63 now,“ says Stephen. ”But what an opportunity for somebody to come in and run it as a business, or keep as a home. It's quite different than a lot of the other older homesteads, because of its warmth."

Stephen says their ideal buyer would be a Kiwi who will continue the business, “or a family who want to make it into a really awesome family home”.

“It'd be absolutely fantastic. You’ve got your swimming pool, your space if you want to have a pony or something. Wonderful."

Greenhill is for sale by tender, which closes on December 18. The listing is with Tony Knaggs for Bayleys.