Set in the shelter of centennial trees, Hemsworth Estate is an Edwardian Villa that offers its guests a unique and welcoming experience. Home to New Zealand's first Hampshire Sheep Stud, it has been lovingly restored with luxury accommodation, romantic gardens and the ability to step back in time. In its seclusion, you’ll experience the distinct feeling of time slipping away as you explore the estate. Hemsworth combines the nostalgia of the past with the modern comforts of the present - the very best of both worlds.

Rebecca is the fourth generation of the Guinness > Wallace > Hulse line to take care of the estate and has always had one foot in town life and the other firmly in the country. Jema, her partner of two years is from Southhampton, UK and shares a similar childhood of English summers looking after the neighbourhood farmer’s dogs. Together they have big visions for the farm including a slower pace of life complete with farm-to-table treats for anyone who visits. You can generally find Jema in the garden completing another project off the huge task list (wait until you see the whiteboard coming soon in another post). And Rebecca is either in her Vegetable Nursery or the kitchen experimenting with a new recipe like this Lavender Tea Cake she just found.

Ashburton and the surrounding areas has a rich history of rural development. Ashburton is a large town that serves the surrounding farming district. It sits between two major rivers, so fly fishing is the local obsession. This farming town has transformed itself into an up and coming hot spot in our opinion. There are six museums in Ashburton, including a vintage railway museum, aviation museum and car museum. Local art and craft galleries provide interesting shopping and there's even a rooftop bar to enjoy.