- St Ninian’s Presbyterian Church for sale as the congregation moves to a larger site.
- The near-90-year-old church, designed by R.S.D. Harman, features a concrete and mud brick exterior.
- The property is attracting interest from around New Zealand.
A historic South Island church that has welcomed worshippers every Sunday for almost 90 years is looking for a new owner.
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St Ninian’s Presbyterian Church, in Hawea Flat, Otago, announced on its Facebook page at the end of last month that the building was being sold off.
The church leaders said the decision was made with a “mixture of sadness and excitement”.
"We are incredibly thankful for the time we've had at St Ninians."
The church community had worked hard to maintain and preserve the slice of Central Otago history. Photo / Supplied
A kitchen and washroom was added to the building in the 1950s. Photo / Supplied
They said the congregation had outgrown the site and planned to move to new premises about 6km away in a new subdivision.
St Ninian’s reverend Aaron Johnstone said in a statement that the church had a wonderful history. It was opened in 1938 and was designed by Christchurch architect R.S.D Harman.
It played an important role supporting the workers who built the Makaroa-Haast Road during the 1930s and those involved in the construction of the Hawea Control Dam in the 1950s.
The building had been extended several times to house its growing congregation, with a vestry added in 1956 and a small kitchen and washroom built in 1959 using the neighbouring school’s water supply.
“From replacing the northern roof shingles twice to oiling the timber, the community has worked tirelessly to preserve this special place,” Reverend Johnstone said.
The church's impressive features include the concrete and mud brick exterior, native timber interior, the steep cedar-shingled gable roof, stained glass windows and intricate exterior carvings.
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Johnstone said that even though it had now fully outgrown the space - having already put in the resource consent application for its new multi-purpose church and community facility in the Longview subdivision in Lake Hawea - it was still committed to honouring the vision of the church's founders.
Century 21 salesperson Anna Findlay said the congregation would vacate the church once it sold.
Open homes were being held on Wednesday and Saturday mornings as well as holding private viewings to work around both the Sunday church service and the other community groups that still use the building.
The 1012sqm corner site is one of the smaller properties in the rural residential area. Photo / Supplied
The former St Patrick's Catholic Church in Hawea Flat sold last year for $1.62m. Photo / Supplied
With sections in nearby Wanaka down to around 300sqm, agents have previously told OneRoof that Hawea Flat was attracting people from around the area looking for more space as the street was classed as rural residential.
The property was next to a kindergarten and Hawea Flat Primary School and offered a quieter lifestyle compared to Wanaka and Lake Hawea, she said.
“It has been really interesting because a lot of people just have a real affinity or love of churches and seem to be on the lookout for churches.”
Findlay had been fielding calls from all around the country, including from both locals and people as far north as Northland. Buyers were interested in converting the church into a home, although some wanted to turn it into a base for their business.
“I think what it offers is just a very unique opportunity," she told OneRoof.
“It’s a good visible site so maybe art galleries or maybe a café – something like that. Obviously, there could be many uses for it.”
The property is zoned category 3 heritage protected to retain its iconic exterior, but internal alterations are permitted.
Findlay said the property, which occupies a 1012sqm corner site, was a “tricky one" to put a value on because most of the properties in the area were at least three times the size. However, she expected it to sell for north of its RV of $330,000.
“It’s probably going to be affordable for someone in this area, but bearing in mind if they want to convert it or update it, it is going to require some work.”
St Patrick’s Church, on Newcastle Road, in Hawea Flats, sold last year at a competitive auction for $1.62 million - $200,000 above its RV. The property had undergone a Grand Designs style renovation and unlike the St Ninians Way site, it could be subdivided.
- 4 St Ninians Way, in Hawea Flat, Otago, is for sale, deadline closing February 5
