Riccarton House Wired
Riccarton House Wired
Riccarton House has a new lease of life and technology with the arrival of its new web site. The new site is the start of the Riccarton Bush Trust’s push into using new media channels to promote and educate residents and visitors of the historical significance of Riccarton House and Bush in Canterbury.
The estate which is home to the 1843 Deans Cottage and 1856 Homestead began offering guided Heritage tours last October and is now Christchurch’s newest tourism attraction for both locals and tourists. Trust Chairman, Charles Deans commented “ the new web site will be a great resource for residents, historians, and local schools”. Future plans include resource kits for teachers, downloadable files about the Bush and its eco system, and the possibility of a virtual tour of house and grounds.
Already Riccarton House has strong forward bookings by inbound tour operators. Trust Chairman, Charles Deans commented, “ The support and interest in the new venture is extremely encouraging. The opportunity for both local residents and tourists to take in some of Christchurch’s earliest history, which is so close to the city, will make the destination a real asset for the people of Christchurch”.
The opening up of the house last October
is the culmination of an intensive restoration process over
a 10-year time frame. The Administration Manager, Graham
Hemming stated, “the Guided heritage tours offer a unique
way to see how early pioneers of Canterbury lived and take
in the essence of 19th Century life of a real pioneering
family”. Overseeing the rebranding of the House is newly
appointed Marketing Manager, Barry Dowell. “Riccarton has
high brand awareness and its former life as a function venue
will be easily built upon.” Mr Dowell commented “ the site
houses the Deans 1843 cottage, the oldest surviving home on
the Canterbury Plains, Riccarton Bush, which is the last
stand of original kahikatea forest left on the Canterbury
Plains and the Homestead which holds a Grade One Category
from the Historic Places Trust. We see it fast becoming one
of Christchurch’s key visitor
attractions.”