New Zealand is a relatively young country and doesn’t have the grand buildings that can be found in the older northern hemisphere countries. Although there were some Europeans living in New Zealand earlier, the country became an English colony with the signing of the Waitangi Treaty in 1840. The population grew rapidly after that, especially in the major cities. One happening that attracted large numbers to the country was the discovery of gold in Otago in the South Island in the 1860’s.

William Larnach

One of those who came to New Zealand as a result of the gold rush was William Larnach. Of Scottish descent, he was born in New South Wales, Australia in 1833. As an adult he became a successful banker in Melbourne. After the discovery of gold, he came to Dunedin as manager of the Bank of Otago in 1867. He continued to be successful for some time, in the fields of banking, business, farming and eventually as a politician. He was a Member of Parliament and cabinet minister for over 25 years.

Married three times, with six children to his first wife, his later years were not happy. After the death of his first two wives and his eldest daughter, Kate, and several financial setbacks, he committed suicide in Parliament Buildings in Wellington in October, 1898.

Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle is the magnificent castle he built as his home about 10 kms from Dunedin, on the Otago Peninsula. Construction took nearly fourteen years, being started in 1873 and not completed until 1887. He chose the sight carefully, eventually finding it on a ridge when out horse riding with his son. The castle still commands panoramic views of Dunedin, the harbour and the Pacific Ocean.

The house, or ‘The Camp’ as Larnach called it, consisted of 43 rooms and required a staff of 46 servants to run it. A ballroom was added in 1886 as a 21^st birthday present for his eldest daughter, Kate. No expense was spared in the contrsuction.  Approximately 200 men spent three years building the shell, followed by nearly twelve years of completing the interior. As well as New Zealand native timber, materials such as marble and glass were imported from around the world.

Later Years

After Larnach’s death the castle had many owners over the years and eventually fell into decline. It was used for a variety of reasons, including a lunatic asylum and a nun’s retreat. The castle was eventually purchased by its current owners in 1967 and has been restored to its former beauty.

Today the castle and grounds are open to the public. Visitors get a sense of the grandeur and can enjoy the wonderful gardens and the magnificent views on a fine day. This tourist attraction is high on the list of must do places to visit when in Dunedin city in the South Island of New Zealand.