Taradale, New Zealand - Tourism

Tourism

Wineries

Taradale is the location of some of the region’s oldest established wineries'

The Mission Estate Winery in Church Road is one of New Zealand’s oldest winemaking concerns and has become a very significant tourist attraction. French Marist Missionaries established the Hawke’s Bay Marist Mission at Pakowhai in 1851. The mission was moved to Meeanee in 1858 and a vineyard was established to produce sacramental and table wines, and a church and school were built soon after. In 1880 a new two storied house was built as a seminary. Following the 1887 flood an 800 acre (325 hectares) property in Church Road was purchased from Henry Tiffen and a new vineyard was established. Some of the original terracing can be seen on the hillside area now used for the annual Mission Concert. In 1910 the Mount St. Mary Seminary building was moved from Meeanee to its present Mission location on Church Road. It was cut into eleven sections and rolled on logs towed by a traction engine, an operation that took two days, photographs of this can be seen in the Mission gallery. An accommodation block was built and opened in February 1931, the next day the Hawke's Bay earthquake struck, causing serious damage to the entire Mission. Two priest and seven students were killed when the stone chapel was destroyed.

Today the Mission Estate Wineries Mount St. Mary Seminary building has recently been completely refurbished to accommodate a first class restaurant and function rooms. The Mission is a favourite venue for weddings.

The now well known “Mission Concert” has been held every February for many years and has become an event not to be missed.

The Church Road Winery (formally known as McDonalds Winery) founded in 1897 by Bartholemew Steinmetz, a lay brother from the Marist Mission, this winery is one of the oldest in Hawke's Bay. Some of its most illustrious years were spent under the leadership of pioneer winemaker, Tom McDonald, now widely acknowledged as the father of New Zealand's premium red wine industry. The winery buildings have in recent years been refurbished and include a restaurant and function room together with a Wine Museum housed under ground, traces the history and techniques of winemaking.

With the rapid growth of the wine industry in Hawkes Bay the number of new wineries in the Taradale area is increasing and for those with an interest in wine and good food. Other wineries near the area include Brookfield's Vineyards Hawke's Bay's Oldest Boutique Winery, Dobel Estate situated on the banks of the Tutaekuri River, Moana Park Winery behind the Taradale hills and Tironui Estate nestled just below Sugarloaf hill.

Gloucester St, the main street and shopping area of Taradale, is located within 2 km of the wineries and is perfectly situated to benefit from the regular influx of visitors generated by these wineries.

Ormlie Lodge

Ormlie Lodge was built by William Nelson in 1899 as a wedding present to his daughter Gertrude and son in law Hector Smith. The 1931 earthquake damaged the house extensively forcing the Smiths to move out for two years while it was repaired at the cost of £1764 (GB pounds). Gertrude and Hector, who had four daughters, lived their entire married life on the estate. Gertrude died in 1955 but Hector remained in the villa another seven years until he sold it in 1962, just before his death at the age of 93.

The new owners turned the home into a private hotel, and the stables were converted into one of Hawkes Bay's finest restaurants during the 1960s. For the next twenty years the gracious homestead went through a number of changes and owners. In 1985 fire destroyed the Stables Restaurant. Fortunately the homestead itself was not touched by the blaze. The Stables Restaurant was never rebuilt.

Soon after the fire new owners bought the lodge, renovated it to its former glory, and engaged the services of the son of the original builder to construct the elegant ballroom which is now the venue for weddings, conferences, etc.