The Hidden Valley Lodge was built in 1923 in the old isolated gold mining town of Waiuta - located in behind the Grey Valley and Reefton. It was moved to our valley in 1953, two kilometres from its present site. It served the local Catholic community until 1994 when due to lack of congregation numbers, it was put up for tender to be removed. We bought the church and moved it to its present site in May 1996 and it opened as Hidden Valley Lodge in December that year. |
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 On the road |
The name Hidden Valley
is taken from the title of a book written about the history of the
valley in 1985 featuring Lake Poerua on the front cover. There were some folks who said it could never be moved in one piece however with the help of my friends Steve and Bruce, and plenty of 'good old kiwi' number 8 wire and fencing strainers, wires were tied vertically diagonally and horizontally until the building was creaking. |
Hauling up hill |
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 Stuck on corner |
 On site |
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After all that the doubters were nearly vindicated
when the vestry which was attached to the end of the building (where
the bay window now stands) broke away. It was only held on by a
couple of rusty nails. This greatly impressed the local Rotomanu
school children who had the afternoon off to watch the grand shift.
There was much cheering and clapping. After a heart stopping trip
up the hill , Hidden Valley Lodge was put to rest on its new site
by the bush edge overlooking Lake Poerua and the ever-changing scenery
below.
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