Waiohika Homestead

The original Waiohika homestead was built before 1900 and the large trees that surround the gardens were planted in that era. The present historic home which was completed in 1926 is not only notable for its size and design but is also notable for its architect, James Augustus Louis Hay. The home sits on a beautifully elevated site overlooking Gray's Bush Scenic Reserve and is one of the last remaining remnants of lowland forest in Gisborne.

In designing "Waiohika", Hay's love of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright led him to design a magnificent prairie style home that was striking in its modernity. Hay modelled it on "the little house" in Illinois, designed by the great American architect.

The owners still have the original plans and because the home is so well planned little has been changed over the years. It features extra wide eaves to keep it warm in winter and cool in summer. Its interior is built entirely of Rimu and its exterior weatherboards are all Matai.