Using fashion to fund a local treasure

Fashion lovers can help preserve a piece of Katikati history by attending a special show 6th November at Athenree Homestead. Volunteers are staging a two-hour fashion event for raising money to complete the restoration of the house.

Athenree Homestead is one of those antiquated houses that has been built according to a planned Irish settlement 136 years ago by Adela and Hugh Stewart. They started a new life in New Zealand in 1878 on 300 acres of land on the Katikati settlement.

They built a homestead and transformed the rest into a garden estate. Some trees planted at that time still exist.

Adela wrote a book on how she spent her time in New Zealand, describing their struggles and endeavors. It is titled ‘My Simple Life in New Zealand”, inspiring many readers and conveying to them what life looked like in Athenree in the 1880s.

In their older years, Adela and Hugh sold their house and left for England. The house passed to different owners over time, and in the 1940’s, the property deteriorated. Forty years later, the Athenree Homestead Trust took up a long-term initiative to restore the house, which continues today.

The public can visit Athenree Homestead. It is run by

Athenree Homestead, soon hosting a fundraising fashion show. PHOTO: Supplied. volunteers and the Athenree Homestead Trust. Funds raised during events like the fashion show help restore the house.

“The event starts at 2pm and is likely to last two hours and the tickets price is $20, Including light refreshments,” said Val New, a volunteer and event coordinator of the fashion show.

Such occasions provide a chance for friends and family to meet, enjoy early moments of summer and encourage local fashion models at the same time; every dollar raised through ticket and book sales is used for restoration.

Samprita Patel, a volunteer and marketing coordinator, said, “This is a great way to know more about where you live while preserving a piece of history and giving back to the community. Today, with New Zealand’s beautiful landscape, the house looks like a perfect piece of art crafted in the 19th century.”

Tickets for the fashion show are available at Ebony Boutique and Waihī Beach Chemist at Wilson Road, Waihī Beach. Article supplied.