This grand homestead, designed by prominent Dunedin architectural partnership Mason and Wales in 1876, was the centre of Robert Campbell’s vast Otekaike Station and reflects the wealth and status of nineteenth century runholders. The house has aesthetic, historic, architectural, and social significance.
In September 1853, Samuel Pike was the first to apply for Run 28 (later known as Otekaike) bounded by the Kurow and Otekaike Creeks and stretching as far back to the Saint Mary Range. By 1855, Pike had transferred the run to John Parkin Taylor (1812-1875), the later superintendent of Southland, who in turn sold it to William Dansey. William Dansey was established on Otekaike by May 1858. William Henry Dansey, the youngest son of a scholarly rector, was educated at Exeter College, Oxford. Dansey had a house on Run 28 by early 1859. A survey plan from April 1861 shows the Crown grant to William Dansey within Run 28 – a 92 acre block with his house, stable and futtah, and an adjacent 11 acre block with ‘men’s house’ and woolshed.’ Dansey laid the foundation for the next runholder who would make the property one of the most significant in New Zealand.
Robert Campbell, the Eton-educated son of a wealthy gentleman, bought the property in March 1865. Campbell deemed the homestead too small, sent his new wife back to his English home and set about building an appropriately grand mansion, what has become known as Campbell Park Homestead. An article in the Otago Daily Times describes Campbell’s grand residence – ‘one of the best country houses in New Zealand.’ The house was of ‘Scotch Baronial style, with battlemented gables and turreted angles’ built in locally quarried stone and roofed in Otepopo slates. The article goes into detail describing the many generous rooms and up to date service areas. Four of the seven bedrooms had dressing rooms. The house included servants’ quarters. As befitting such an estate homestead, the house was set within a generous landscaped park and surrounded by ancillary buildings that – stables, workers’ cottages, manager’s house, woolshed and the like.’ Stone stables were built at the same time. The Otekaike Estate was the economic and social centre of the Waitaki Valley, with all the characteristics of a feudal lord – Campbell funded buildings in nearby Duntroon and his wife’s will provided for the building of church buildings there.
In the early years of the twentieth century Otekaike Station was subdivided into seven small grazing runs, thirty seven farms and twelve smallholdings. Four properties were allocated as ‘preferential blocks’ and allocated to former employees of Robert Campbell and Sons Limited. Dickson (Dick) Jardine (the Company’s manager) was granted the homestead block.
The grand homestead, stables and other buildings along with 342 acres of land was handed over the Education Department as a Otekaike Special School for Boys. The school was a national institution providing for special education of developmentally delayed (‘feeble minded as initially labelled) boys. In 1925 it moved to the jurisdiction of the Child Welfare Division. It was renamed Campbell Park School in 1964. When the school was closed in 1995, the property was sold. In 2016, Campbell Park Homestead remains in private ownership.
In September 1853, Samuel Pike was the first to apply for Run 28 (later known as Otekaike) bounded by the Kurow and Otekaike Creeks and stretching as far back to the Saint Mary Range. By 1855, Pike had transferred the run to John Parkin Taylor (1812-1875), the later superintendent of Southland, who in turn sold it to William Dansey. William Dansey was established on Otekaike by May 1858. William Henry Dansey, the youngest son of a scholarly rector, was educated at Exeter College, Oxford. Dansey had a house on Run 28 by early 1859. A survey plan from April 1861 shows the Crown grant to William Dansey within Run 28 – a 92 acre block with his house, stable and futtah, and an adjacent 11 acre block with ‘men’s house’ and woolshed.’ Dansey laid the foundation for the next runholder who would make the property one of the most significant in New Zealand.
Robert Campbell, the Eton-educated son of a wealthy gentleman, bought the property in March 1865. Campbell deemed the homestead too small, sent his new wife back to his English home and set about building an appropriately grand mansion, what has become known as Campbell Park Homestead. An article in the Otago Daily Times describes Campbell’s grand residence – ‘one of the best country houses in New Zealand.’ The house was of ‘Scotch Baronial style, with battlemented gables and turreted angles’ built in locally quarried stone and roofed in Otepopo slates. The article goes into detail describing the many generous rooms and up to date service areas. Four of the seven bedrooms had dressing rooms. The house included servants’ quarters. As befitting such an estate homestead, the house was set within a generous landscaped park and surrounded by ancillary buildings that – stables, workers’ cottages, manager’s house, woolshed and the like.’ Stone stables were built at the same time. The Otekaike Estate was the economic and social centre of the Waitaki Valley, with all the characteristics of a feudal lord – Campbell funded buildings in nearby Duntroon and his wife’s will provided for the building of church buildings there.
In the early years of the twentieth century Otekaike Station was subdivided into seven small grazing runs, thirty seven farms and twelve smallholdings. Four properties were allocated as ‘preferential blocks’ and allocated to former employees of Robert Campbell and Sons Limited. Dickson (Dick) Jardine (the Company’s manager) was granted the homestead block.
The grand homestead, stables and other buildings along with 342 acres of land was handed over the Education Department as a Otekaike Special School for Boys. The school was a national institution providing for special education of developmentally delayed (‘feeble minded as initially labelled) boys. In 1925 it moved to the jurisdiction of the Child Welfare Division. It was renamed Campbell Park School in 1964. When the school was closed in 1995, the property was sold. In 2016, Campbell Park Homestead remains in private ownership.
