We farewell Queenstown today. Everyone has really enjoyed all that Queenstown has to offer. The food has been great - both dining out and dining in - we have generally supported the local economy well especially in the woollens department and of course everyone loved the golf.
On our way to Dunedin we paused to visit Old Cromwell - many fine old stone buildings were relocated when the lake was dammed. These are well preserved with visual and audio presentations of life in the 1800s. The newspaper, blacksmith, stables and Cobb and Co store are displayed and most buildings are now art gallerys, tea shops or nick nack shops. A great representation of social history and so similar to the Australian experience.
The road took us through a number of small towns and diverse country before we hit the outskirts of Dunedin - home to around 100,000 people, centre for education, industry, and tourism, sprawling over many kilometres. The Otago peninsula has several unique tourist attractions including the only mainland albatross colony in the world.
We visited Larnach Castle, a mansion built by William Larnach in a grand, baronial style in the 1870s for the first of his 3 wives and their children. Banker, politician, landowner and financier William married his sister-in-law on the death of his first wife at age 37, and his third much younger wife after the death of wife 2 (also at age 37) only to be cuckolded by his son. He took his own life in a private room in parliament!
Larnach Castle has been beautifully restored to it's former glory by the Barker family who purchased the empty and derelict property in the 1960's. It features incredible wooden panelling, ceilings, and staircases including a fine Georgian hanging staircase. Other rooms feature delicately painted plaster ceilings with strap snd pendant designs. Colours reflect the feminine or masculine usage of the rooms. Construction throughout the Castle is breathtaking - the woodcarving alone took 12 years to complete - reflecting the very best British and European materials and craftmanship.
Yet William's children disliked living in "The Camp" as he called it, far from the society of the growing city and whilst happy to be supported by his wealth were jealous and argumentative, regarding his 2nd and 3rd marriages with suspicion and disapproval. A sad ending for a man who played a pivotal role in both Australia and New Zesland.
The gardens surrounding the Castle have also been beautifully restored and feature garden "rooms" and colourful plantings complementing the house. A lovely visit to a graceful and elegant example of Victorian splendour.
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