Former Hakataramea Hotel offers abundant recreation and fascinating history

Formerly a hotel and steeped in the region’s rich local history, a seven-bedroom Hakataramea Valley home awaits a new owner.

Trading as the Terminus Hotel, which was originally built in 1881, the property was burnt down twice. More recently known as the Hakataramea Hotel, it ceased trading in 2006, since when it has been a private home.

Judging by old photographs, the original two storey Terminus Hotel had 10 rooms. Clientele were mainly the farming community and travellers to the Waitaki Valley, with business peaking during construction of the Waitaki Dam in the early 1930s. During that period a few kilometres up the river up to 1200 men laboured on one of New Zealand’s largest hydroelectric projects, which when completed powered approximately half of the South Island.

After fire destroyed the original Terminus in 1946, the proprietors at the time set up a temporary bar and ran the hotel out of old army huts, some of which remain on the property as outbuildings. A new single storey hotel with bar, a tank room, a refrigeration room and seven bedrooms was eventually completed in the 1950s, though that too burnt down in 1969, to be replaced by the present building.

Sally Gerken and husband Gary have owned it for the past 33 years, including transforming it from a pub to a private home. Sally says refurbishing it has been an ongoing project.

“We took the linings off inside and gutted it back to the concrete block, putting in modern insulation. We also removed the old narrow pub windows, replacing them with bigger windows. One of the old pub stone walls is now a feature in the living room,” says Sally.

Also harking back to the property’s history, a two-bedroom self-contained cottage remains in the grounds. 

Cayla-Lee Collins of PGG Wrightson Real Estate, Ashburton is selling the property, located 68 kilometres west of Oamaru. She calls it a magnificent opportunity.

“A generous and well cared for house that could serve as a treasured holiday home, and is ready to be filled with love and family, it is ideally located with the scenic Waitaki River and serene lakes on the doorstep, in an area offering abundant recreational activities, including the Alps to Ocean bike trail and exceptional fishing opportunities.”

View the property on our website here and contact Cayla today.