The Land of the Long White Cloud (Part 3)

Our plan in the Manawatu was to stay with Margie and Rusty in Feilding. I had been promising for a long time to bring the family over, and it was nice to finally get there. On our way in I took the family to Highden. It was a place with so many memories for me, and I was a little nervous as we drove in. Whilst I am incredibly glad to have gone I don’t know that I will ever go back again. There is something missing, and the building is showing signs of serious decay. The gardens are being recovered, having been let go for several years but are not in good shape. Many of the roses in the formal gardens are just dying, and Wayne (the gardener now there) thinks that the soil has soured.

 Clockwise from top left: The view from the roof of the house, looking down over the rose gardens; The wreck of a Honda Civic - It was Tyson's. He bought it as a paddock basher when he was ten. When he was done with it, Dad buried it. Obviously not deep enough; the rose gardens. Once upon a time there was a thick cover over the gazebo...; A wood fired bath in the middle of the lawn (installed since our tenure!); The view down into the paddock, where we put in a dam to help with drainage. The honey house is gone, and this area will soon be home to a community of tiny houses; Whilst the chapel is now not recognisable as such, at least the dedication stones remain.
  

From left: The pole house originally built for Tyson. He wrote on the front door "No Grils Allowed"; MacK ringing the Highden bell, with Linda looking down; The view down to the grotto. Mary remains as ever, but the gardens and trees are not well. That avenue of cherries should be a mass of green. 

I left the place felling quite sad. When we left (13 September 2000), the property was vibrant and lived in. Up until that point, the house had rocked for a decade with the most brilliant parties. Now – there are cracks in the walls, and a great chunk of the plaster ceiling in the main kitchen has collapsed. I could write a lot more, but will let photographs tell the story for me. My last thought – I would not be surprised to hear that the house has been demolished in a decade or so.

 

Clockwise from top left: The house from the front lawn; Spiral hedges destined to be removed due to the weed matting; View of the house from the grotto - Linda, Jane and Hugo in shot; The front of the house; Some of the (now very) mature trees - some of which we planted; The pond and water feature I designed and built (many) years ago is still there!

Some of those who came to Highden while we were there might remember this piece. It is one of a couple that have remained from our time in the home.

After probably close to thirty years, I reconnected with a cousin and her family – thanks for hosting us Bex and Hugh. We also spent a morning with Margie travelling out through all of the country where she and Dad grew up, and saw the pub where Mum and Dad first met (Kimbolton).

Clockwise from top left: In the main foyer of Highden; Me with Wayne and Linda at the front door; Jane and the boys with Margi and Rusty; Hugo enjoying the run around the lawns at Highden.

We drove to Wellington on another very wet day (fortunately nowhere is very far in New Zealand), and I visited Br. Marty in the home he is in. Whilst the Parkinson’s has robed some of his physical capacity, he is still very sharp, and recognised me when I walked into the Dining Room. His first words to me were “I know you. You have a sister called Tiffinee”. Quite extraordinary, given we wouldn’t have seen him for close to 25 years.

We spent the evening with another couple of long term friends (with whom I have had no real contact since moving to Australia), and again it was really nice to re establish that connection. I look forward to returning the favour and hosting all of these friends and family when they travel to Australia in years to come.