The Moa Seed Farm farmhouse and associated barn were originally located on a property of 34 acres, granted to Francis Tubman in 1872. Six years later, in 1878, Francis Tubman transferred this title to Edward Tubman. In the same year a large insurance policy was taken out, indicating that the house was in existence at this time. The Cyclopedia of New Zealand notes that Edward Tubman, born in 1835, was one of the first Europeans to take up land leases at Dumbarton in 1867. Tubman was a member of the Tuapeka County Council and ran the Dumbarton post office from about 1900. According to the Cyclopedia Edward Tubman had two brothers, one of these no doubt being Francis, to whom the original Crown Grant was evidently issued. The farm remained in the ownership of the Tubman family until 1912, when the Wescott family purchased it and it became known as part of the Westcott settlement. In 1919 the Returned Soldiers' Reparation Department purchased 450 acres in the area, including this title from the Westcott family, establishing a rehabilitation and training farm for soldiers returned from World War I. The name Moa Seed Farm originates from this time, when the farm specialised in raising various kinds of flower and vegetable seeds. This initiative was not very successful, but improved under the management of Joseph William Hadfield, whose name is closely associated with the development of New Zealand agriculture and the linen flax industry. Hadfield carried out experimental agriculture; he designed and introduced seed certification in New Zealand, and following his involvement with Moa Seed Farm, became Director of the Agronomy Division (later the Crop Research Division) of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. During World War II Hadfield was Director of Linen Flax Development Production, supplying Britain with flax at a time when other sources were cut off. Hadfield was awarded the O.B.E. in 1953. He died in 1977, aged 90 years. Under Hadfield, about seven and a half acres (three hectares) was cultivated in vegetables and two and a half acres (one hectare) in flowers for the seed farm, with the area under cultivation increasing annually. According to Webster, the rehabilitation courses were rather indefinite, lasting from a few months to a year, and trainees did not stay long. In 1921 the property was leased to a syndicate, including Hadfield, known as the Moa Seed Farm Association. The syndicate received a small government subsidy on the condition that it carry out some experimental work. In 1926 the property reverted to the government and the Lands Department allotted sections to the neighbouring returned soldiers. F.D. Barron, the only seed farmer of the original scheme, was granted the lease of the original homestead block of 34 acres and also took over Hadfield's lines of vegetable seeds and roots along with the Moa Seed Farm trade mark. J.L. Dance joined Barron in partnership soon after he received the lease and the two continued to trade as Barron and Dance for a number of decades, continuing to produce seed from Hadfield's original stock. Barron and Dance grew sweet peas, tulips and gladioli. They imported the original tulip and gladioli bulbs from Holland, and the blooms were sent every year to markets throughout the country. In 1953 R. A. Dance purchased the homestead block of 34 acres of Moa Seed Farm for £445. This was freeholded to him under Section 4 of the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act 1915. It was sold again in 1965 and in 1973. In 1977, Leslie and Gail Varney purchased the farmhouse on a title of 4,256 square metres subdivided from the original homestead block, and in 1978 incorporated the land on which the barn was located into their title, making a section of 6,924 square metres. At the time the Varneys purchased the farm house it was abandoned and in a bad state of repair. They carried out extensive repairs to restore the house. It was sold again in 1981 and in 1991 John and Raewyn Lane bought the property to develop the farmhouse as a teahouse / restaurant. In 1994 the Lanes applied for resource consent to convert the barn into four separate units for use as travellers' accommodation. The resource consent was granted following consultation and negotiations with the NZHPT over modifications to the exterior of the building to allow external access to the loft. In 2002 the property was sold to its present owners, who continue with the commercial use of it as a bed and breakfast business.

The two-storied house has a plain façade with no verandah, with two doors on the ground floor and a window alongside each of the doors. On the first floor, there is a row of four windows looking out from three rooms (originally bedrooms) and a bathroom. It has chimneys in both gable-end walls. There is a lean-to attached to the back of the house which originally housed the kitchen. While the exterior of the building remains unchanged, the interior of the ground floor has been modified into two large areas. From 1991 the ground floor was operated as a teahouse / restaurant, and under the current owners, who run the property as a bed and breakfast business, the former restaurant is now a dining room The barn is a rectangular plan building with exterior walls of random rubble schist. Originally the barn had wooden stalls on the ground floor and a loft area above. The roof has a dormer window with a cathead and loading door from the loft. The barn was converted for use as travellers' accommodation in 1994. The interior has been modified into four separate units, with access to the loft from an external stairway to the original dormer entrance.