Contact information
High Leys Lodge
Address:
34 Kiwi Burn Place
Patience Bay
Te Anau
Southland, NEW ZEALAND
Phone/Fax number:
+64 27 222 6634
Email address:
Website address:
Contact us
High Leys Lodge offers
High Leys Lodge is located 4 kilometres out of Te Anau along the Milford Road in Patience Bay. Set in 4 acres of established garden with panoramic views of Lake Te Anau and the Fiordland National Park, this boutique lodge offers an adult only, private, peaceful and luxurious escape. There are 3 double rooms, all with en-suites; the two King rooms have stunning lake views, and the Queen room has a garden view.
A gourmet breakfast is provided each morning, and a complimentary glass of NZ wine and home-made canapés are served in the evening.
Guests have access to a large guest lounge to relax and enjoy the ever changing view. All day tea and coffee making facilities are available complimented with delicious home baking. The terrace and outside courtyard areas also offer a tranquil place to relax and enjoy the scenery.
Tour bookings can be also be arranged for a wide range of activities and adventures; simply ask on arrival.
Directions…
Enter into the outskirts of Te Anau on State Highway 94 from Mossburn. Turn right into Sandy Brown Road and then right onto the Te Anau Milford Highway. Cross the Upukerora River and head up the hill for approximately 1km. Turn left into Patience Bay drive, right into Murchison Drive and right again into Kiwi Burn Place. At the end of the cul-de-sac keep going up the private driveway. High Leys is at number 34 on the right hand side.
Nearby Activities…
Explore Te Anau with its bird park, easy short walks, local cafes and boutique cinema showcasing Ata Whenua – a stunning movie of the Fiordland region. From there take a trip on the lake – whether it be jet boat, sail boat or cruise to the glow worm caves they are all equally enjoyable. Te Anau is also the gateway for both Milford and Doubtfuls Sounds. Pick your mode of transport – coach, helicopter or self drive.
Nearby popular destinations…
Lake Te Anau, Lake Manapouri, Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, Fiordland National Part,
Many of New Zealand’s great walks can be accessed from Te Anau including the Milford Track, the Routeburn Track and the Kepler Track.
National Park.
Tariff…
From $250 to $350 per room per night.
The Luxmore King Room is the largest of the rooms offering a king bed with stunning views towards the north end of Lake Te Anau, across to Mount Luxmore and over the garden. There is an en-suite bathroom with salon grade eco.logic guest amenities which cleanse both the body and soul. They contain certified Fairtrade ingredients and are packaged in recycled plastic bottles.
The room also has a flat screen TV and complimentary wifi.
In addition to their bedroom, all guests have access to the large guest living and dining room where they can sit back and enjoy the every changing view. A large gas fire offers additional ambiance and warmth on a cold day.
On warmer days a large terrace to the front of the house accesses the garden and a courtyard to the rear offers an alternative sheltered space to sit and relax.
The South Arm room is our second king room. It has stunning lake views over the garden and across to the South Arm of Lake Te Anau where you can watch the boats cruising up and down the lake. The South Arm room has a flat screen TV, walk in wardrobe area and en-suite bathroom with walk in shower. Salon grade eco.logic guest amenities cleanse both the body and soul. They contain certified Fairtrade ingredients and are packaged in recycled plastic bottles.
In addition to their bedroom, all guests have access to complimentary wifi,and large guest living and dining room where they can sit back and enjoy the view. A large gas fire offers additional ambiance and warmth on a cold day.
There is a large terrace to the front of the house which accesses the garden, and a courtyard to the rear which offers an alternative sheltered space to sit and relax.
Complimentary tea, coffee and home baking are available throughout the day.
The Takatimu Room is named for the range of mountains passed on the way to Te Anau, and has a queen bed, flat screen TV, complimentary wifi and a beautiful view over the garden. It has an en-suite bathroom with salon grade Eco.Logic guest amenities to cleanse both the body and soul. These contain certified Fairtrade ingredients and are packaged in recycled plastic bottles.
As with all rooms, guests have access to the large guest living and dining room where they can sit back and enjoy the view. A large gas fire offers additional ambiance and warmth on a cold day.
There is a large terrace to the front of the house which accesses the garden and a courtyard to the rear which offers an alternative sheltered space to sit and relax.
Complimentary tea, coffee and home baking are available throughout the day.
Hosts Sarah and John Greaney have had varied careers across a range of industries and workplaces. John has been the owner/shareholder a number of retail operations across his career, is a strong strategic thinker and entrepreneur. Sarah has a banking, HR and facilitation background and has worked with a wide range of corporates throughout the country.
Both John and Sarah have strong connections to the Te Anau community. Sarah is deputy chair of the Te Anau Community Board and a trustee of the Fiordland Retirement Housing Trust, whilst John is a trustee of the Fiordland Trails Trust and is an advisory member of Ride Southland.
Sarah is originally from the UK; together John and Sarah have travelled extensively and so look forward to hosting guests from around the world.
Booking & Availability
Everybody has a builder story… especially in South Auckland with the present building explosion we are enduring.
As soon as you mention “old house” 95% of tradesmen are never heard from again and the others start discussing estimate figures that a real estate agent might quote for the house purchase; this is followed by a “rough commencement date” further off than my telegram from the Queen. (For those not familiar with this, it is customary for New Zealanders reaching 100 years of age to receive a telegram …. email ???? … from the Queen)
However, I discovered Evan…I shall call him Evan to disguise his real identity the same way truffle hunters do not disclose their favorite hunting grounds.
Newly Finished Floor Patch
He arrived first to fix the floors…borer had dined out extensively under the fake pebble vinyl and large areas had to be re boarded, He started by stripping out the devoured sections and then prepared the site like an artist preparing a canvas. Boards sorted and stacked by colour and length, and the ground beneath swept clean enough for raking as a sand garden.
The next stage was a visual delight as the kauri was matched and clamped into place. At one stage I did think I had lost Evan, arriving at the hub of that days efforts my greeting was answered by a muffled “umder eare” …only the boots were visible in the 30 cm gap under the half finished floor. That roll of insulation was going to be dragged right under there come hell or high water!
Keeping an eye on the tractor shed (while modifying the fig tree)
Now we are resurrecting the tractor shed…well two and a half walls of it, (this needs to have photos by way of explanation but I fear it is not at a suitable stage to reveal the transformation). Again Evan has cleared the site so even the tractor does not recognize it, and has talked me into more windows. My original brief was “but no windows Evan…perhaps those clear roof panels?”. This was the same plea I made when he would not re install a louvre window in the en suite bathroom. “It is the only ugly window in the house” he said, “you can’t put it back”. So now there is a beautiful old four pane window, and I love it.
…And the tractor shed….two different but beautiful six pane windows…old, needing work! …but what else did the woman who already had 34 windows need for Christmas anyway? I will love it.
]]>
Contact information
Church Hill Boutique Lodge & Restaurant
Address:
36 Kamahi Road
PO Box 10
Oban
Stewart Island
Phone number:
+64 3 219 1123 or +64 27 270 5344
Email address:
Website address:
Contact us
[contact-form-7]
Invalid Displayed Gallery
Church Hill Lodge offers
- Main Attractions / Activities
- Foveaux Suite
- Kamahi Suite
- Tokoeka Suite
- Your Hosts
- House Specialties & Events
Church Hill Lodge, (in conjunction with Church Hill Restaurant) has three spacious, intimate, stand alone suites with full glass frontages and private decks maximizing views of spectacular Halfmoon Bay where you can relax, unwind and soak up the panoramic views, native bush setting and bird life.
Idyllically located within easy walking distance of all amenities or if a retreat is what you are after all your needs can be met without leaving the lodge.
Breakfast, pre-dinner drinks, canapes and transfers upon arrival and departure are included. Lodge guests will also have exclusive access to other dining experiences within the restaurant.
Directions…
As we are an island destination everyone arrives at Stewart Island by plane or ferry. Please let us know which way and at what time you are arriving and we will be at the flights centre or wharf to meet you.
Nearby popular destinations…
Queenstown, Milford Sound, Te Anau, Manapouri, Catlins, Dunedin, Invercargill
Tariff…
From $595 per room per night.
The Foveaux room is a fully disability accessible room. It looks out upon Foveaux Strait, hence the name.
Foveaux has a private seated area in the front which can be accessed from the deck or the garden. The prefect spot to sit and enjoy a book, a drink, or a snack, or perhaps a moment to meditate.
Please note a $50 surcharge applies to one night stays.
FEATURES OF THIS ROOM
- Bathrobe, slippers and boutique toiletries
- Sky TV
- 1 Super king bed – or 2 king singles
- Shower
- Hairdryer
- Wi Fi
- Ensuite bathroom
- Refrigerator
- TV and a DVD player
- Home Baking
- Tea and coffee making facilities
- Private deck
- Full glass frontage
- Nespresso coffee machine
Kamahi is named for its Kamahi tree frontage and location of the Church Hill site on Kamahi Road. This is Deanne’s favourite room with a lovely view of the titi islands and the bay.Please note a $50 surcharge applies to one night stays.
FEATURES OF THIS ROOM
- Bathrobe, slippers and boutique toiletries
- Sky TV
- 1 Super king bed – or 2 king singles
- Shower
- Hairdryer
- Wi Fi
- Ensuite bathroom
- Refrigerator
- TV and a DVD player
- Home Baking
- Tea and coffee making facilities
- Private deck
- Full glass frontage
- Nespresso coffee machine
Tokoeka is the Maori name for Stewart Island, or Rakiura, kiwi. It means weka with walking stick.
Themed for the fauna of the Island and featuring art from local artists and photography from Deanne.
Tokoeka looks into the bay and gives views of the local fishing and pleasure boats.
Please note a $50 surcharge applies to one night stays.
FEATURES OF THIS ROOM
- Bathrobe, slippers and boutique toiletries
- Sky TV
- 1 Super king bed – or 2 king singles
- Shower
- Hairdryer
- Wi Fi
- Ensuite bathroom
- Refrigerator
- TV and a DVD player
- Home Baking
- Tea and coffee making facilities
Your Hosts Deanne & Chris Sara ….Church Hill was the creation of Deanne in 1999. Deanne had long thought about having a restaurant and when the opportunity arose on Stewart Island she took it and consequently Church Hill Restaurant & Oyster Bar became a reality.
Deanne and Chris returned in 2012, after Church Hill had been leased since 2003, to re-establish the restaurant and return it to a premiere dining experience on Stewart Island.
The Kamahi Road site was the location of the first holiday home on Stewart Island. The restaurant maximises the charm of the old building, with beautiful views, a cosy open fire and separated dining areas reflecting the layout of the previous old villa.
It had been the Squires family holiday home dating back to the early 1900’s and they had called it “Tenola at Church Hill”. Tenola is an anagram randomly drawn from a hat from the letters of lean-to. It was located on the hill next to where the church stands, hence, Church Hill.
Deanne runs the kitchen and Chris runs front of house, and Deanne’s passion for great food is equally matched by Chris’ passion for hosting out front.
From the start of the 2017-18 season Church Hill will be a lodge as well as a restaurant. Deanne always considered the Kamahi Road site a great location for a lodge so in 2014 we set about developing the lodge.
You are only minutes from everything you will need at Church Hill but you will still feel as if you are miles from everywhere. It was developed to ensure that as little of the natural bush was disturbed during construction.
As avid travellers ourselves we know what it is like to be away from home. The lodge has been developed with the needs of the traveller being very much in mind. It is all about offering what we would enjoy, and what would enhance our experience while traveling. It is the little things that make the difference and that is the concept of Church Hill.
So once more Church Hill will be a holiday home that offers our guests a warm and friendly environment, leaving you with an experience that creates a memory worth keeping from your time on the Island.
Church Hill Boutique Lodge Package Stays
Coming to Stewart Island and want to have your stay, play and food all sorted? Why not consider a package stay at Church Hill.
Church Hill Boutique Lodge packages are designed to highlight the best of what our restaurant, accommodation and island have to offer.
Package stays are always subject to availability due to the combination of items offered. You will need to contact us directly if you wish to book a package stay so we can best meet your requirements for your stay with us.
Church Hill Boutique Lodge have the following package stays available:
Honeymoon
We know how special a honeymoon is. Since you have chosen to spend it on our beautiful island we would love to be part of this wonderful time in your new life together.
Maximise your time together by letting us take care of all the small things. You can dine with us, walk around our gardens and spend your days and nights in style.
Minimum stay: 2 nights
Package Includes:
- A bottle of bubbles in your room on arrival
- Chocolates in your room on arrival
- A picnic lunch on the day of your choosing
Terms and conditions:
- It must be your honeymoon and we want to see you holding hands and smiling.
———————————————————————————
Tramper Pamper
Many people head to the island to partake in the wonderful tramping that is on offer. Out on the tracks life can be very basic so why not bookend your tramp by including a stay at Church Hill. Enjoy a meal at the restaurant the evening before you hit the track and the evening you arrive off the track.
Many accommodation options don’t cater for one night stays so this is a perfect option for those travelling for the specific purpose of tramping away from Oban.
Minimum stay: 2 nights (each end of tramp)
Package Includes:
- 3 course dinner for 2 on the night before and after your tramp
- Drop off and pick up from your tramp
- Storage of your excess luggage during your time away from Church Hill
- Access to washing and cleaning facilities for tramping equipment
Terms and conditions:
- You must have stay nights at each end of your tramp
- Package is based on 2 people share twin room
- Some menu items for your meals may attract a supplementary cost
- Alcoholic drinks not included in the package price
- Drop off and pick up from tramp at an agreed time and place
———————————————————————————–
Executive Burn Out
What better place to unwind and recover than at the bottom of the world. Switch your life clock to island time and let us do the worrying.
We know how to relax and we know the value of relaxation. All it takes is stepping back from your life and sharing in ours.
This package is aimed at the busy corporate who just wants to, or can’t seem to, say no to their phone or inbox.
This is your perfect excuse: “I’m on Stewart Island”
Minimum stay: 3 nights
Package Includes:
- Anything possible personalised to your needs. You need only tell us what you are looking for and we will arrange it for you or with you.
- We suggest you think about the things you never make time for and arrange to do them – Church Hill version of “Fantasy Island”
Terms and conditions:
- You promise to relax and let us do the worrying
————————————————————————–
Long Stay Bonus
There are many things to do on Stewart Island and we want to reward your time with us by offering you a bonus from Church Hill Restaurant.
Minimum stay: 5 nights
Package Includes:
- A $300 credit at Church Hill Restaurant
Terms and conditions:
- You must stay at least 5 nights.
- Restaurant credit available to be used on food and beverages only from Church Hill Restaurant
————————————————————————–
All For You
It is as it says; the whole establishment for you and your group. This gives you exclusive use of all three suites, restaurant and grounds.
Stay nights min: 1
Package Includes:
- Exclusive use of lodge and restaurant
- Evening meals for all those staying (maximum of 6 lodge guests)
Terms and conditions:
- Alcoholic beverages not included
Booking & Availability
Transport World Museum
For the second year running we have closed the lodge over the winter months to allow maintenance and a rest from hosting. We have found the tourist numbers in the boutique market continue to grow with agent bookings up by about 20%.
Destination Invercargill
Invercargill has arrived as a tourist destination in its own right we are seeing less and less of one night stays or as a stopover between the Catlins, Te Anau and Stewart Island. The Richardson Transport Group has put us on the map with Transport World, the world’s largest collection of its type in the world, Motor Cycle Mecca and their latest attraction Dig This ( hiring excavators and bulldozers in a giant gravel pit to play in ).
All sorts of “Big Boys Toys” to drive. Great fun
MotorCycle Mecca, a wonderful collection of old Motorbikes
Our Own Vintage Cars and Bikes
Ray and I have always fitted in well with the Motorcycle and vintage car theme in Invercargill with our own vintage vehicles and motor bikes. Rays latest project is a 65 Mustang Convertible
]]>
A Ulva Island Tour with Sails Ashore, Stewart Island
South Island Saddleback gathering nest material
As a farmers son, spring for me was lambing, a resurgence of plant growth and a new cycle of life. Well, I haven’t delivered a lamb for 50 odd years, but a couple of days ago across on Ulva with a couple from Auckland almost the first birds we saw was a Saddleback couple busy home building. And they were very vocal, with the pair calling every minute or so. Not just this pair either, as over the 4 hours we were there I heard around a dozen different pairs calling.
Robins Pairing up as well.
We saw several pairs of Robins, with the males showing great interest in the forest litter we disturbed, and generally there was a female close by.
First Orchids
Photographing Spider Orchids
The first of our orchids to bloom are Dancing Spider Orchids (Corybas acuminatus) . The first of the embryonic blooms appeared two or three weeks ago, but we found some fully out. As you can see by the photo these are not large, and their colouring makes it easy to miss seeing them in the wet mossy areas they prefer.
Dancing Spider Orchids
Dancing Spider Orchid (Corybas acuminatus) . “Embryonic” Bloom Normally I expect blooms to fully develop from the bud within a few days. These orchids seem to take as much as two or 3 weeks, with the developing blooms reminding me of a butterfly emerging from the chrysalis
A 4 hour guided tour on Ulva Island Open Sanctuary is part of the package when staying with Iris & Peter at Sails Ashore on Stewart Island. Visiting Ulva Island (Part of Rakiura National Park) really is an Island must do
]]>
Fyffe Country Lodge post Kaikoura Quake
A sea of orange jackets is the norm for our region with some 1300 road workers on the road and about the town not to mention the influx of contractors who are working to repair earthquake damaged homes throughout our region. The pubs are doing particularly well of an evening I might add.Progress seems to be slow and maybe take longer than anyone thought. For us here at Fyffe Country Lodge the cottage block has been re blocked and the builders have a little more to do prior to the final slurry being put on the blocks. The engineer and the council building inspector both agree it will be along time before this building is damaged again as super strengthening has been done. Then it is the plasterer and the painter and we are ready to go.
Our main building unfortunately will be out for some time to come. All the damaged grout lines have to be raked out and re mortared. Inside and Outside I might add !! What a mission not to mention the dust. It will once again be beautiful but we will just have to exercise patience and hope the dust doesn’t kill us first. I imagine myself going to bed in a full mask suit.
The roads North of Kaikoura I understand are going to be a nice surprise. We have heard in places it is a four-lane highway. The south through the tunnels area is still subject to rock fall and slips which pose a problem for everyone with closures at short notices. We are becoming well a tuned to the convoys concept. I hope they are able to have the roads reopened by the end of the year as initially advised.
The Village..The main street West End has lost the long standing Adelphi Hotel. This site now sits empty but I believe there is new shops going to be erected. A couple of other shops have been pulled down and the other Hotel Kaikoura has lost is the New Commercial which was severely damaged and now someone has set it alight.
I have heard via one of the real estate agents that the demand for property here has been amazing and the new subdivisions are filling up very quickly. Perhaps that’s our silver lining to the horrible earthquake event.
Insurance Companies…believe everything that Christchurch has said about them. Kaikoura is experiencing the same
Issues and a lot of the locals are very unhappy with the deceptive ways they conduct business.
Background …… 2016 Kaikoura earthquake
The 2016 Kaikoura earthquake was a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in the South Island of New Zealand that occurred two minutes after midnight on 14 November 2016 NZDT
The earthquake started at about 15 kilometres (9 mi) north-east of Culverden and 60 kilometres (37 mi) south-west of the tourist town of Kaikoura and at a depth of approximately 15 kilometres
Ruptures occurred on multiple fault lines in a complex sequence that lasted for about two minutes. The cumulative magnitude of the ruptures was 7.8, with the largest amount of that energy released far to the north of the epicentre.
The large magnitude of the quake is second to only one New Zealand earthquake since European settlement of the country Over $900 million in insurance claims were received.There were two deaths, in Kaikoura and Mount Lyford.
GNS scientists discuss the road displacement at Kekerengu, south of Ward where roadworks have been under way since the November quake. Photo: RNZ / Tracy Neal
Where in the world is this? Any guesses? Which continent? Well it is a mixture. You don’t have to be a scientist to go exploring, however, many scientists visit this site and/or monitor its activity from afar.
Gray & Vicki Eatwell own and operate “Exposed” Alpine Fault Tour and it is their job to get us close to a work of Mother Nature at Gaunt Creek.
On a glorious sunny day in early August we set off from the small township of Whataroa, located south of Hokitika (near Franz Josef Glacier) in South Westland (Yes, this is New Zealand). New Zealand is a young country and Mother Nature has been undertaking some major landscaping. New Zealand’s prime spot in the South Pacific puts us on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the same continental plate that skirts California, Japan and Indonesia.
The South Island Alpine Fault
The Red Line is the “onshore” section of the Alpine Fault
The Alpine Fault was first identified in the 1940s. Most of the West Coast (of the South Island) is located on the Australian plate. The mighty Southern Alps and the East Coast of the South Island are on the Pacific plate. We always have friendly rivalry with our neighbouring regions but this is serious stuff. The Alpine Fault line runs from Fiordland in the south up the West Coast and then out to the Pacific Ocean.
Scientists have eagerly drilled into the Alpine Fault to monitor what happens and to gain a better understanding of plate tectonics and earthquakes. At the “observatory” all the high tech equipment is below ground so we cannot observe the observing!!
We have a small creek to cross and Gray & Vicki have this organised with some re-purposed farm equipment. No need to feel sheepish.
Here is Vicki telling us NOT to jump on this small monitoring box otherwise some very sensitive equipment will think that we are having The BIG ONE and someone in Wellington or perhaps even Japan will go on full alert.
Did I mention it was a Glorious Day??
Gray explains the forces of nature – as the rocks collide, compress, grind, and uplift.
At this site the Pacific plate is dominant over the Australian plate. Of course the Australian plate doesn’t like this and is pushing back, hence the Southern Alps. As well as the East/West battle we have North/South friction.
Here Gerard is facing North and I’m ready to head South. Well if we stayed here long enough it might happen.
Looks like time to pat the spine of the sleeping Giant. Thankfully it didn’t wake up.
Chris is set to cross from one continent to another – a giant leap for man!!
Plenty of time to take photos and be Rock Hounds, inspecting the different formations. New pieces are constantly being unveiled and Gray spies a fine example to add to his collection. Some of the larger rocks we reluctantly have to leave behind.
The West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island is a rock hounds paradise, and museum collections will give those interested a great insight into this regions complex geology and mineralisation
A big thank you to Gray & Vicki for taking us on this special tour and increasing our knowledge. Always lovely to get out and about in Glacier Country.
For further info check: www.alpinefaulttours.co.nz
]]>
Enjoying the Beautiful Marlborough Sounds
Greetings from Carl and Jeanne at Picton, at the top of the South Island.
We have been busy preparing McCormick House for the busy Summer season ahead.
With warm North Westerly conditions, gardening is a great sunny option.
Our local wood pigeons are feasting on local Kowhai trees.
Tuis and bellbirds are busily preparing for nesting.
Pukekoes are to be seen on our daily walks to Waikawa.
More to Do and Enjoy at Picton
There is a newly completed track in Picton, out on the ‘Snout’ peninsula.
It was made possible with a huge effort being made by our local mountain bike community.
It is well graded for both walking and mountain biking, takes about an hour and a half, each way.
Jeanne and I walked the new track for lunch recently and were treated with magnificent vistas
in every direction.
We look forward to seeing you all here soon.
]]>