17 January 2011

Taranaki residents and visitors haven't been shy to seize the opportunity to inspect one of New Plymouth's premier heritage properties and hear about its features and history.

A guided walk at Tupare, on the banks of the Waiwhakaiho River at Mangorei Road, earlier this month attracted 60 participants, and a repeat is planned for this Sunday (23 January), starting at 2pm.

"The turnout for the first walk was tremendous, especially as it started at 8am on a Saturday," says the Taranaki Regional Council's Regional Gardens Manager, Greg Rine. "So we're expecting another strong showing on Sunday afternoon."

The events are part of the New Plymouth District Council's Summer Guided Walks programme.

Tupare, developed by prominent businessman Sir Russell Mathews and his family in the 1930s and 1940s, features stunningly landscaped grounds and a distinctive Chapman-Taylor homestead.

"As we make our way through the gardens, we talk about the way the Matthews family developed them and how they have evolved since," says Mr Rine. "There's a story at every turn."

He says those who took part in the morning walk earlier this month obviously gained much from it, judging by the response from one participant, a visitor from South Africa. "He emailed us to express his thanks and admiration, and said he'd be talking to his local authority in South Africa about the way these things are done here."

Tupare is one of three heritage properties owned and managed by the Taranaki Regional Council on behalf of the people of the region. The others, Pukeiti and Hollard Gardens, will also be hosting NPDC Guided Walks programme events on 12 February (Pukeiti) and 5 March (Hollard Gardens).

The properties are also the venue for a year-round programme of free events organised by the Taranaki Regional Council. For more information, see www.tupare.info, www.pukeiti.org.nz and www.hollardgardens.info. News and information from the gardens is also on Facebook (TaranakiRegionalGardens) and Twitter (TaranakiRG).

Tupare, Pukeiti and Hollard Gardens are open daily and entry is free.

ENDS

© Scoop Media