Your Hawke’s Bay homecoming

Visiting Hawke’s Bay is like visiting family you never knew you had. Meet a few of the warm, welcoming locals who can’t wait to show you their special corner of the world.

Jeanette Woerner from Wallingford Homestead

Jeanette Woerner and her husband, Chris, run a boutique getaway from a renovated heritage homestead on a working farm in Central Hawke's Bay. There's only nine bedrooms so a peaceful, intimate experience is guaranteed:

“There's a sense of respite and peace here. An opportunity to get away from the daily grind and just enjoy,” Jeanette said.

The homestead's packages include meals at the modern, sustainable restaurant on site as well activities in the surrounding wildlands. Events like their annual Truffle Weekend, where guests hunt truffles with their hosts and then enjoy a multicourse dinner using said truffles, are just a taste of the unique experiences on offer here:

“The world needs a little more magic right now. Moving to Hawke's Bay has been amazing for us and we just want to give a little magic back.”

Louise Stobart from Birdwoods

In Zimbabwe during the early 90s, Louise Stobart owned a thriving art gallery and production business, selling metal sculptures. But Louise says political upheaval and social unrest under the Mugabe government meant she had to leave, choosing to settle in Havelock North in Hawke's Bay:

“We left behind a lot of craftspeople who had no income, so we started importing their work and set up a new gallery - Birdwoods.”

Locals in Havelock North loved the sculptures so Birdwoods expanded to eventually include a cafe serving espressos and home baked treats, a sweet shop staffed entirely by grannies, a sculpture garden and a gallery with a diverse range of works from Zimbabwe and local artists.

“Everything here has a story. We love interesting, eclectic things. It's a place where you can be surprised and delighted by the unexpected and just enjoy and feel good about yourself,” Louise said.