The History Continued

THREEPWOOD Farm was first settled in 1866 by William Teal Marshall who arrived in Central Otago from the Australian goldfields. The property which he named Meadow Bank Farm overlooked the lake, which at the time was known as Hay's Lake, after the early Wakatipu explorer Donald Hay.

There is a school which believes Lake Hayes should still be called Hay's Lake, but over the years the name changed to recognise the infamous American scoundrel Bully Hayes, who owned a hotel in Arrowtown during the 1860s goldrush.

Marshall and his wife Mary were granted title in 1871, for a piece of land formerly classified reserve on which they built a stone cottage in the late 1870s.

The historic cottage, along with the original stone stable and woolshed buildings constructed by Marshall, still stands at Threepwood today. A unique feature is the hand hewn roof shingles which were also evident on a number of buildings built around the Wakatipu district at that time.

The Marshalls remained at Meadow Bank Farm until 1881 when they moved to New Mexico in the United States. Descendants of the Marshalls have a painting of Lake Hayes, which includes the stone buildings on the property, painted from memory by one of the Marshall children after they emigrated to America. The painting is dated 1888.

The second owner of Meadow Bank Farm was John Trotter Butement who had been farming at North Station at Glenorchy at the head of Lake Wakatipu since 1866. Butement renamed the Lake Hayes property Avalon.

He expanded the property after purchasing 253 acres from Bendix Hallenstein, a well known Wakatipu entrepreneur and owner of the historic Thurlby Domain.

Butement's time at Avalon was shortlived after rabbits plagued the property. By November 1887 he was forced to surrender his runs, and transferred the 905 acre estate to the New Zealand Loan Mercantile Agency Ltd in 1888.

The Agency oversaw the property until its sale in 1896 to brothers-in-law William Reid and Robert McDowell who bought the orginal property as some well as surrounding land, totalling 700 acres. McDowell and Reid owned the general store in Macetown as well as the Wakatipu flour mill which they bought in 1902.

McDowell, along with Joseph Hunter, developed a well known carrier business in the Wakatipu. Later Reid became involved and a plaque at the entrance to Macetown, recognises the contribution Reid/McDowell Carriers made to the district's development.

After purchasing Avalon, McDowell moved with his family on to the property, and managed it until the partnership with Reid dissolved in May 1910.

McDowell was born in Ireland and emigrated to New Zealand in 1875. He married Sarah Whittlesea from Victoria, Australia, in 1884 and they had 12 children. In 1909 he built the second homestead which was constructed of beech milled at Kinloch at the head of Lake Wakatipu. Until that time the family had lived in the stone house built by Marshall.

The new homestead was built by a Mr Blue of Invercargill and was described in the Lake Wakatip Mail as - ‘a very capacious building containing some 16 rooms. The interior arrangements are thoroughly up-to-date in every detail, and particular attention has been paid to sanitation. The house is, moreover, to be lighted by acetylene gas.'

Acetylene gas was only installed in three or four private homes in the district and was considered a unique feature.

While he owned Avalon (sometimes referred to as Lake Hayes Farm) for about 14 years, McDowell only lived in the new homestead for six months, before the property was sold to Englishman Robert Lee at auction in November 1910. The McDowells moved to Southland to live.

It was Lee who changed the name to Threepwood, retaining his links with Threepwood Hall in Northumberland in England, where he was born.

Lee's father George farmed at Threepwood Hall, close to the village of Haydon Bridge, and the young Robert inherited his interest in farming. George was also active in the coal and lead mining industries.

Robert Lee arrived in New Zealand in 1881 with his wife Ellen Cook Johnson and initially they purchased land on the Taieri and the Otago Peninsula. Lee also became involved in mining, undoubtedly influenced again by his father's experience.

He was instrumental in opening the Castle Hill coal mine at Kaitangata in 1890 and in 1897 set up the New Zealand Oil and Coal Company Ltd which took over several mines in the Kaitangata area.

In the early 1900s he spearheaded the take-over of the Bullendale Mine on Skippers Creek from Achilles Gold Mines Ltd but the venture was never a success and closed in 1905. Lee had a wide commercial interest in mining and in 1901 was a director of at least 11 dredging companies in the region. He and George Reid were the first to mine scheelite commercially in Glenorchy.

His grandson Allen Lee, whose father Leo ran the Threepwood operation until the late 1930s has researched his grandmother Ellen's diaries and identified a number of key entries. November 7, 1910 - "Robert bought Hayes Lake farm" December 5, 1910 - "Leo left early with old Brown to do up the old farm house at Threepwood." December 6, 1910 - "I met the housekeeper for Threepwood at the boat - Miss Laidlaw." December 7, 1910 - Leo left about 7.00am with Miss Laidlaw and the ploughman for Threepwood."

The diary dates tend to indicate that Lee signed the papers to buy Threepwood on November 7 and took possession of the house on December 7 1910.

Lee is credited with planting most of the old established trees around the homestead including the walnut groves which are still a feature today.

He is widely recognised for installing the first irrigation scheme in the Wakatipu. The innovative scheme carried water from Boundary Creek in the Remarkables Mountains area, across the Kawarau River via steel pipes and was a major engineering accomplishment, providing irrigation water for around 600 acres.
The Lake Wakatip Mail, published an article about the scheme on December 12 1911 - "This scheme is probably the largest private undertaking in New Zealand. The whole construction will, when completed, cost between £3,000 and £4,000 but the profitable results from the use of the water will no doubt amply compensate Mr Lee for the large outlay. He is, we think, deserving of greatly increased yields for his commendable enterprise."

Robert Lee had four sons and a daughter. William, the second eldest was killed after an explosion at the Kaitangata Mine, and was hailed as a hero for his part in trying to save the lives of several miners.

Lee himself died in 1911 just a year after taking over Threepwood. In recognition of his contribution to the Kaitangata Coal and Oil Company, of which he was Managing Director at the time of his death, miners and friends erected a memorial to him which included a horse trough, installed on the Ladies Mile alongside the main Lake Hayes highway.

The Ladies Mile was so named because it was a straight piece of road on which it was considered safe for women to drive a horse and cart. Women drivers were a regular sight on the Ladies Mile travelling to church on Sundays.

The distinctive trough was always full with water from the irrigation system, and was a welcome stopping point for the teams of horses using the route, in the early 1900s. Both the memorial and trough which were erected in 1913 are still in place today, and will remain as a significant historical feature on Threepwood, as it moves into its latest phase of development.

When Robert Lee died Threepwood passed to his son Leo who made a name for himself both in farming and local government circles. He was a councillor on the Lake County Council for almost 25 years and was elected Chairman from 1929 -1939. He was President of the Lake County A and P Society for 19 years and was made a life member of the organisation.

Leo retired to Queenstown in 1934 and a manager oversaw Threepwood's operation until 1938 when it was sold to Eric and Mary Strain, of Dunedin, commencing a 50 year period of ownership for the Strain family. Eric, who had flown in WWI with the Royal Flying Corp, was an importer and among other interests owned several movie theatres in Otago.

Eric and Mary had early ties with the Wakatipu owning a cabin, which still stands today at Kinloch, at the head of the lake. Although he was away from the area regularly on business he actively farmed Threepwood until John, who was the Strain's only child, took over the property in 1960.

The Strains, like earlier owners of Threepwood, had to contend with a devastating rabbit plague which affected the entire district. Their first years were spent killing rabbits and building rabbit proof fences.

Eric was best known by his nickname ‘the Boss.' He was innovative and inspired by new technology. Threepwood was one of the first properties in the area to receive power and electric shearing machines were installed in the shearing shed early on. Eric also owned the first tractor in the Wakatipu.

Mary is remembered for her role in raising hundreds of pheasants which were released around the district. An incubator was housed in one of the farm sheds and eggs were supplied to her by the Department of Internal Affairs.

Eric and Mary lived in the Threepwood homestead until they died, and John who married Paddy Hamilton of Invercargill, built a separate house on the property. While John and his family later lived in the homestead, after his death Paddy returned to their first home where she still lives today. Their three sons Tony, Martin and Sam who were raised at Threepwood all reside in the Wakatipu.

John continued his father's drive to develop Threepwood and the irrigation scheme was expanded and significant roading and fencing was installed. John was active in community affairs, particularly the Lake County Agricultural and Pastoral Society and the Arrowtown Golf Club, until his early death in 1979.

The management of Threepwood passed to Tony Strain, after the death of his father. He ran the property on behalf of a Trust for several years before leasing it. As a young man he made his mark in farming and is a past Chairman of the Lake County A and P Society. He is currently Chairman of the Arrow Irrigation Company. Tony married a local woman, Sarah Cook, whose family owned Waitiri Station in the Kawarau Gorge. Their three children were brought up at Threepwood.

Martin Strain and his wife Jackie May, also from a well known Wakatipu farming family who owned Wentworth Station in Gibbston Valley, remained at Threepwood for many years living in the historic stone cottage. They restored the cottage which was later subdivided from Threepwood and sold.

In 1993 the Strain family sold Threepwood, then consisting of the homestead and approximately 200 hectares, to an American property investment syndicate. They had previously sold 60 hectares on Slopehill Road, retaining 40 hectares on which Paddy, Tony and Sam all have their homes today.

In 2004 long time Lake Hayes resident and Queenstown businessman Jim Boult purchased the property from the syndicate. He has lived across the lake from Threepwood since 1982 and has always harboured the dream of owning the unique property. He has also recently acquired the orginal Marshall Cottage and reunited it with Threepwood.

His vision to create a rural residential lifestyle development will launch a new episode in the Threepwood story and ensure it retains its place as an outstanding Wakatipu landmark.

References and Sources:

• Wakatipu Golden Days - A.J. De La Mare
• Old Buildings of the Lakes District - Marion Borrell
• Lakes District Museum Archivist Karen Swaine
• Lake Wakatip Mail
• Arrowtown Observer
• Lake County Press
• Land of the Mountain and the Flood - Peter Chandler
• Evelyn Weir
• Allen Lee
• The Strain Family
• Conservation Design - Jackie Gillies
• Historical Research - Jennie Henderson