Matanaka reddish-brown pitsawn timber farm buildings across the paddock on a stormy day

Home Visit Otago Matanaka

Opening Hours

Daily
8.00am - 6.00pm

parking no-smoking

Entry

Free

Address

Private road - Matanaka Drive,
off Edinburgh Street,
Waikouaiti

+64 3 433 1269

totaraestate@heritage.org.nz

A reddish-brown pitsawn timber farm building in a paddock on a stormy day

Aotearoa New Zealand’s oldest surviving European farm buildings are set in an exposed paddock high above the Ōtākou, Otago coast, five reddish-brown pitsawn timber structures stark against a slate-grey sea. Visit the schoolhouse, beautifully simple and unadorned barn, the little storehouse, stables and crowd favourite, three-seater communal privy – the ultimate loo with a view.

Discover Matanaka
Historic black and white photo of the farm buildings at Matanaka, stables in the distance, school in the foreground in 1973

Ngā Kōrero
Stories

Photo: G.G. Thornton

A white and blue row boat laying on an angle inside one of the farm buildings

Toro
Visit

Not sure where to start?

There’s plenty of heritage throughout the stunning Otago landscape. We’ve put together some ideas to get you started.

Explore Ōtākou | Otago heritage
The Otago Central Rail has it all – four to five days of cycling through the most stunning scenery, safe, easy and mostly off-road trails, historic pubs and gold mining sites, and great kiwi hospitality throughout.

Photo: Tim Hawkins / Otago Central Rail Trail Trust

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