Historic home up for sale and ready for next chapter
Hidden up the Orinoco Valley, with windows that look out at Mt Arthur and its surrounding peaks lies one of Nelson’s oldest homes.
Originally built in Richmond in 1843, it was cut in half decades ago and shifted up the valley in two parts.
When current owner Vanessa Hatton bought the place six years ago, it had been vacant for more than 20 years and was unliveable.
Situated down a winding gravel road and across a small ford, the house now sits on 45 acres surrounded by paddocks. It catches the early morning sun and a handful of fantails flit around the posts on the verandah.
‘‘It didn’t look anything like this when I first saw it, absolutely nothing like this.
‘‘When I bought it, the building wasn’t considered a dwelling, that is what poor shape it was in.’’
The villa, known as Rostrevor, was built for Francis and Jane Otterson, who arrived in Nelson in 1842.
Francis Otterson was a wellknown merchant who was very active in local politics and became a member of the provincial council.
The house was originally located in Lower Queen St, where the Oakwoods Retirement Village now sits.
The tree trunk that is visible on Lower Queen St is the last surviving tree in a grove of Tasmanian Blue Gums that were planted on the original property.
Francis named the house Rostrevor after his last place of residence in Northern Ireland.
Hatton said the former owners cut the house in two in 1989 and trucked it towards Ngatimoti. She heard it got stuck while coming over the Rosedale Saddle and the driver had to reverse out and change the route.
The house had been put back together and some of the walls gibbed, but it was otherwise left alone while the owners lived in another cottage on the property.
‘‘They hadn’t put the verandah on and the weather had absolutely rotted two thirds of the building.’’
Hatton said she had learnt a lot about its history over the years, the house had been owned by several well-known Nelson families and was used as an osteopath prac- tice and a hospice at different times.
She has met people who remember visiting the original house when it was in Nelson and children who had grown up there.
She claims to have encountered several spirits over the years and heard boot steps on the wooden floor.
Hatton shared the home with her three daughters, who loved playing tag in the house and roller skating in the kitchen.
Hatton said when she purchased it, some of the exterior walls were beginning to rot.
It was missing doorways and architraves, the wiring wasn’t connected and there were no flushing toilets.
Hatton had added a large kitchen with a coal range, bathroom and laundry to the back of the house.
She estimated she had spent $150,000 on its restoration over the past six years and said it was ready for a new owner who wanted to finish it off.
Another project had come up and Hatton said the time was right to pass Rostrevor on to someone else.
‘‘I just hope whoever takes it on is going to be sympathetic to the age of the house.’’
The house is for sale with an asking price of $567,500. Enquiries can be directed to Jacqui Faulkner on 03 546 7088.