Fairholme on East Takaka Road, East Tākaka began life in the mid-late 1870s as a small four-roomed cottage and later transformed into one of the area’s most notable homesteads. It is historically significant for its enduring association with the pioneering Baigent family and the early years of Pākehā settlement in Tākaka, and has architectural value with fine tōtara burl panelling in the entrance hall.

Te Tau Ihu (Nelson-Marlborough) has a long history of Māori settlement over hundreds of years, reflecting successive waves of migration through to the early 1820s-1830s. The region’s rich and layered Māori history is reflected by the eight recognised iwi – Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Apa and Rangitāne (Kurahaupō tribes), Ngāti Toarangatira, Ngāti Koata and Ngāti Rārua (Tainui tribes), and Ngāti Tama and Te Ātiawa (Taranaki tribes). Land purchases commenced from 1839 and a New Zealand Company Settlement was established at Whakatū (Nelson), with the first immigrant ships arriving in 1842. Mohua (Golden Bay) was first settled by Pākehā in late 1842 at Motupipi, close to the Māori pā at the mouth of the Motupipi River, though Tākaka later became the focus of colonial settlement. In 1873 Thomas John Baigent moved to East Tākaka and set up a sawmilling operation in conjunction with his brother Henry from Nelson, forming H. and T. Baigent. Thomas was born in Wakefield in 1849, to parents Edward and Mary Ann Baigent who had arrived in Whakatū in May 1842. They relocated to Wakefield in 1843 where Edward established a sawmill and went on to become a successful businessman and one of the town’s most prominent citizens.

In 1874 Thomas purchased 30 acres land on East Takaka Road bordering Gorge Creek (to the south). In November 1875 Thomas wed Alice Best of Appleby and they started married life at the Gorge Creek property, later known as Fairholme. A four-roomed double gable cottage was built by 1878 but a larger house was later required to accommodate the growing Baigent family. A two-storey addition was constructed at the front of Fairholme around 1889. With the addition, Fairholme became one of largest and finest residences in the district. It featured native timbers throughout (heart tōtara, rimu and mataī) and the entrance hall was particularly notable for its splendid and rare tōtara burl panelling, ‘the result of many years’ selection on Mr Baigent’s part’. The house connected via a covered walkway to a rear kitchen known as the ‘bakery’ which had a large brick oven for baking and adjoining pantry, storeroom and scullery. There were also stables, a dairy and buttery/cool store and the homestead was surrounded by gardens and various tree plantings (mostly fruit bearing).

In January 1898 a fire started in a cupboard under the stairs at Fairholme and the entrance hall and stairs were badly damaged. In 1903 the East Tākaka Post Office was relocated onto the property where it was run by Thomas’s daughters Eva and Ella. Thomas died at the Tākaka residence of Dr Adams on 19 May 1910 after a prolonged period of illness but Fairholme remained in the Baigent family for another 76 years. Eva was the last Baigent family member to live in the homestead– she only moved out in 1982 after a fall aged 102. In 1986 the empty property was sold by auction. It was in poor condition and new owner Marie (Merrin) Westerink undertook considerable renovation works and lovingly developed the gardens. In 1990 Merrin opened Fairholme Gallery in the front two downstairs rooms, which was host to various art exhibitions, events and workshops over ensuing years. In 2012 Fairholme was purchased by artist Anita Peters and photographer Murray Hedwig who have re-opened it as an art gallery and undertaken various maintenance and repairs works to ensure the property’s preservation.