Ewelme Cottage, Auckland

Ewelme Cottage, one of Auckland’s oldest remaining buildings, dates from 1863 when it was built for the Rev Vicesimus Lush and his family upon their arrival in the colony. The cottage, which is run by the Historic Places Trust, is a true historical gem since it remained in the Lush family until the 1960s and retains many of the family’s belongings and furnishings dating back to Victorian times. The architecture of the home is distinctive, given that it is laid out in a manner that was common in medieval Britain – it is thought that this may have been done to reflect the sombre and pious sensibilities of the time.

One of the highlights of the family’s possessions is the antique book collection with more than 2000 tomes. The cottage offers a snapshot into life in New Zealand during the first days of the colony – you will see much of the home preserved as it was in the 19th century and many cooking, craft and even beauty items and pharmaceuticals. Rooms of the home were used during the filming of the Oscar winning film The Piano. Ewelme Cottage is open from Friday to Sunday, 10am to 4:30pm.