New Zealand Odyssey: Larnach's Castle, Otago Peninsula

'New Zealand Odyssey', published in 1989 by Heinemann, was authored by me, Don Donovan (who did the text and illustrations) and Euan Sarginson, who did the photography and design. In this series of blog posts, I will publish some of my drawings.

To my mind Larnach's Castle is a folly and was built by a man whose capacity for self-aggrandisement knew no bounds. Larnach was an Aussie of Scots descent who made lots of money from trading, gold exploitation and other speculative enterprises. How much of a hand he had in designing his folly I don't know but I get the impression that his architect was taking the piss out of him!

For all that, the putative castle is an attraction and sits in a most wonderful position on Otago Peninsula. It's so bad that it's good - like the Albert Memorial in London, William Randolph Hearst's pile in California or any of Saddam Hussein's palaces. I had great fun with all that cast iron 'lace'; it's drawn with a pen nib full of liquid rubber solution, allowed to dry, then washed over and peeled off. Hey Presto!

© DON DONOVAN
donovan@ihug.co.nz
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New Zealand Odyssey: Two Outhouses At Larnach's Castle, Otago Peninsula

'New Zealand Odyssey', published in 1989 by Heinemann, was authored by me, Don Donovan (who did the text and illustrations) and Euan Sarginson, who did the photography and design. In this series of blog posts, I will publish some of my drawings.

Larnach's Castle in itelf is a pretty eccentric building (more of that in another post) but its gardens contain some rather charming functional buildings. The brick and glass hothouse (above) is particularly elegant, its beauty, as is so often the case with practical buildings, dictated by  function.

The stone outhouse (below) leaves no doubt that it's lockable, solid and unpretentious. No doubt that would be where expensive garden machinery was stored. The drawings date to 1987, I'm sure that over a decade into the new millenium nothing's changed.

© DON DONOVAN

donovan@ihug.co.nz

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Country Churches of NZ 114. Community Church, Pukehiki, Otago Peninsula

I wrote and illustrated Country Churches of New Zealand. It was published in 2002 by New Holland, Publishers and is still on sale in bookshops. The publishers have kindly agreed to me re-publishing some of the book’s images and descriptions in this blog.

COMMUNITY CHURCH, PUKEHIKI

Gales sometimes hit hard across the Otago Peninsula and macrocarpa trees make good windbreaks. A high hedge, smooth and tartan green on the outside, its boughs exposed and wonderfully sculptural on the inside, guards the Pukehiki Community Church near famous Larnach's Castle.

One of the castle's craftsman builders was Walter Riddell, who also designed and built the church in 1868.

Although attractive when seen through its gateway, its tower appears truncated and might have looked better with a cap on (see St Andrew's, Coromandel. Country Churches No.34).

It is one of the oldest wooden country churches still in regular use. Originally Presbyterian, these days it has an ecumenical congregation drawn from the local community.

© DON DONOVAN
donovan@ihug.co.nz
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