Totara Estate

18/09/2026

We are excited to announce that our next Learned Lecture and Teatime Special will feature the amazing Barnacle Brothers! This incredible a capella group is not one to miss, so come along on the 11th of October! ⚓

13/09/2026

We so enjoyed having David Beattie, Anne Bain, and Wendy Eckhardt perform for us yesterday for our first Learned Lecture! There was a beautiful selection of pieces by women composers, and David shared some fascinating history surrounding their lives and work.

Thank you so much to everyone who came along to support this special event! Keep an eye out for details of our October event - a rousing group of singers will be sailing into Totara Estate..⛵⚓

10/09/2026

07/09/2026

Our beautiful Cookhouse has been brought back to life this week! This is where you can enjoy tea and scones (or a southland cheese roll!) while browsing some of fascinating books and archives on our history.

This Friday we will also have a pianist here from 12-1pm for a free lunchtime concert - we invite you to come and experience some heritage hospitality!🎹🫖🐑

03/09/2026

We open tomorrow! Our amazing staff have been hard at work this week uncovering the buildings, dusting off the collection, and bringing the site back to life for you to visit again. The lovely Annie and Susannah will be here over the weekend with fresh scones ready to go 🌞🫖

27/08/2026

On Sunday the 13th of September we'd love for you to join us for our first Teatime Special of the season! Pianists David Beattie & Anne Bain, and vocalist Wendy Eckhardt, will take us on a musical journey across time and continents 🪗🌎🎶

https://www.visitheritage.co.nz/whats-on/otago-events/around-the-world-with-women-composers

17/08/2026

Kia ora everyone, please note that Matanaka is closed for lambing, the site will reopen in October. Thank you for your understanding 🐑

16/08/2026

It's almost time for us to open our gates! Totara Estate will open to the public on Saturday September the 5th, 10am. We look forward to hosting you this season! 🐑🌳🌼

20/07/2026

We've been lucky enough to have some beautiful snowy views out at Totara lately! Can you believe we're already halfway through winter? Before we know it, spring will be here and we'll be opening back up for you all! Barney is looking forward to greeting visitors again 🌷🌼🐝

21/06/2026

Many Tohu Whenua sites benefit from the enthusiasm and time of big-hearted volunteers. It's National Volunteer Week, so let's hear it for Alison Albiston and her husband Bruce!

Take the vege garden at Totara Estate flourishes with vibrant root and leafy vegetables – but that wasn’t always the case.

Team member Susanna Elliffe says, “before Alison arrived at Totara Estate, the vegetable garden was almost non-existent. Today, Alison – who along with her husband Bruce restored the Category 1 Burnside Homestead – incorporates her passion for history and her obvious green fingers by volunteering several times a week.”

Read more about Alison, Bruce and a whole host of other amazing volunteers here: https://www.heritage.org.nz/news/stories/volunteers-keep-the-wheels-turning-at-clarks-mill-and-totara-estate

Totara Estate Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Tohu Whenua