Historic Significance

Historical Significance or Value The first New Zealand co-operative cheese factory was set up in this building, in the part now used as a barn and one end of the new kitchen. In August 1871 eight dairy farmers met at John Mathieson's house and formed the Otago Peninsula Cheese Factory Company, shares to be one pound and represent 10 quarts of milk. In the first season four tons of cheese were produced. John Mathieson had been making cheese for some years previously at Grant Braes and, with the profits and his capital brought from Scotland in 1858, had bought by ballot the Springfield property in 1864. He paid Stewart Leckie 10 pounds to quarry out of the ground sufficient stone to build the house and byre, as well as to fill in the holes afterwards. Mr William Tait, stonemason, received 501 pounds for cutting the stone. When cheese making began in 1871 three enamelled cast iron tubs, each holding 40-50 pounds of curd, were set in the kitchen wing and a wooden vat holding a 100 gallons of milk was installed in the barn. The barn was also used as the curing room. The methods of the company were businesslike and far-minded, serving as a good model for other co-operatives. In 1875 cheese making was shifted to a new brick and concrete factory at Pukehiki and the company re-formed as the New Peninsula Cheesemaking Company, eventually to become the province-wide Taieri and Peninsula Dairy Company. It is likely that this was the first cooperative dairy factory in the southern hemisphere, only those of Norway and Switzerland being earlier. John Mathieson and subsequently his son James continued to farm the property until1917. Mr E Y Aitken bought from James, and his descendants have lived in the house ever since.

Physical Significance

Architectural Significance: This is a well-preserved, good quality, farm building of the 1860s, typical of the bluestone buildings erected by the farmers of moderate wealth around Dunedin. Townscape/Landmark Significance: A cairn on Highcliff Road directs visitors to a view of the building in a scenically attractive setting of the harbour and hills.