In 1851 Charles Bridge of Great Malvern, England, selected the 50 acres of rural section 96 that became known as Opawa Farm. This was sold by trustees to Joshua Strange in 1862. Strange sold an acre bordered by the new Ferrymead railway and the Heathcote River to Edward Richardson and George Holmes in 1864.

Richardson and Holmes were partners in the Melbourne-based engineering firm of Holmes and Co, contracted by the Canterbury Provincial Government in 1861 to complete the Christchurch-Ferrymead railway, and the Moorhouse rail tunnel linking Christchurch and the port of Lyttelton. The railway and tunnel were commenced in 1860, but the original contractors, Smith and Knight, pulled out after striking hard rock in the tunnel. Provincial Superintendent William Moorhouse then travelled to Melbourne to arrange a new contract with Holmes and Co for the princely sum of £240, 500. Richardson arrived in Canterbury aboard the Prince Alfred in 1861 with 35 navvies and materials and equipment, ready to commence work. The Ferrymead railway was completed in 1863 and the tunnel in 1867, for a total cost of £348, 312. On the new site at Opawa a platform was erected, apparently to serve as the first Opawa Station. As part of their contract, Holmes and Richardson retained the leasehold of their new Ferrymead railway until 1866. The first Opawa station was used only until the expiry of this lease.

In 1871 Richardson purchased Holmes' share of the former Opawa Station site, and bought an adjacent 13 acres from Joshua Williams. The Hollies was probably commenced at this time. The name may have been derived from the large holly hedge that once lined the right-of-way (now Vincent Terrace) on the then west frontage of the property. There is no evidence of an architect being involved in the design of the house; it is assumed that Richardson designed it himself using fashionable features of the period. Richardson's involvement may be reflected in the broadly Australian appearance of the building. The stone reputedly came from the tunnel excavation.

Edward Richardson (c1831-1915) was born in London, and trained as a civil and mechanical engineer. He emigrated to Australia in 1852, and worked as a road engineer until going into partnership with George Holmes in 1855. After completion of the Moorhouse Tunnel Richardson developed extensive business interests in Canterbury, including a flax and timber mill. By 1885 he also owned land to the value of £132, 000, including the Albury and Wharfedale runs. Richardson served as a member of the Canterbury Provincial Council from 1870 until abolition in 1876; as a member of the House of Representatives from 1871 (with a few gaps) until 1892, and the Legislative Council from 1892 until he retired in 1899. During his political career he made his name as a political technocrat, serving as Minister of Public Works under five administrations - most significantly under Vogel. In 1879 he received a CMG for public services. Richardson also served as first chairman of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, and a director of the New Zealand Shipping Company.

Despite his apparent wealth and business acumen, Richardson was hard-hit by the depression of the 1880s. From 1882 he began subdividing The Hollies property. This was unable to keep the wolf from the door however, and in 1889 property totalling more than 15, 000 acres was repossessed by the Bank of New Zealand. The seven remaining acres of The Hollies were subdivided by the bank, and the house and two acres sold to John Robert Campbell, sheepfarmer, for £1, 600 in 1891.

J. R. Campbell (1835-1914) was probably born in India, where his father was a large merchant. After arriving in Canterbury in the 1860s, he became a partner in Mesopotamia Station. Later he leased various farms in the Ellesmere District with various partners, developing a large farming business chiefly fattening stock. By the late 1880s Campbell was shipping 6-7, 000 frozen lambs annually. Campbell sold the property to ironmonger William Minson in 1902.

William Minson (1843-1925) came to Canterbury in 1862, and started a homeware business in Colombo St that developed into a Christchurch institution. The original business finally closed its doors in 1989, but the name survived another decade under different ownership. Minson himself retired from the business in 1900. Interested in technical education, he helped establish the Christchurch Technical School. He also served as chair of the Home Industries section at the 1906 NZ Exhibition.

Just a year after purchasing the Hollies, Minson transferred the house to farmer Frederick Webster. Webster in turn sold the property to George Davis, manufacturer, in 1910. Davis sold it to William Tisdall the following year. In 1922 The Hollies was back with the Minson family, in the person of William Minson's son, Arthur, who managed the family business. Arthur lived on the property for nearly twenty years, selling it in 1941 to company manager Geoffrey Inglis. Inglis sold it to draper George Saville in 1950, who immediately on-sold to Francis Zwies. Zwies transferred the property to Frank Davidson, the Lyttelton Borough foreman, and his wife Margaret in 1962. The Davidson's sold the house to meter installer William Robson and his wife Joyce in 1966. The Robson's in turn sold to sales representative John Downes and his wife Prunella in 1969. The Downes retained the property until 1977, beginning a restoration and adding a swimming pool during their tenure. In 1977 The Hollies was sold to architect Paddy Helmore and his wife Joy, who redesigned the kitchen into a kitchen-living area. The Helmore's sold the house in 1981 to Jonathon and Carol Penfold, who retained it only until 1984 when it was sold to David Round.

Round, a University of Canterbury law lecturer, carried out restoration and maintenance, including the bricking-up of rough openings in some interior walls. He was granted $1, 000 by the Christchurch City Council in 1987 to assist with re-roofing.

In 1988 the house was sold to Richard Nightingale, a research analyst, who on-sold it later the same year to Pamela Anderson and Brian Palliser of the Darfield-based Anderson Family Trust. Two units were subsequently constructed along the west boundary of the property to help finance a restoration of the house. The replacement of the decayed timber floors with concrete, begun ten years before, was completed at this time. By the end of 1989, the property was jointly owned by Janice Andrews, Felicity Reid and Ruth Evans.

In 1990 the property was purchased by the present owners, John and Teresa Gourley, who have carried out extensive work both inside and out. In 1999-2000 the interior and exterior were repaired and repainted. The Gourley's live in The Hollies, but also run adult education business, the Counselling Skills Institute, from the house.