In 2014 Kay Wooff allowed us to tour her heritage house and garden, Whare Tane, in Clive Rd Mt Eden, before she and her husband embarked on a major restoration project. In 2019 she has invited us back to see the house and garden transformed.

A group of over 45 people gathered in the neighbouring tennis club rooms to hear Kay’s husband Ken talk us through the 5 year restoration process, which is still ongoing. Then Lucy Treep outlined the work she and Kay have done in restoring the heritage garden, using as a basis the conservation plan done by John Adams. New planting is continuing.

Kay provided us all with a superb afternoon tea, before escorting us through the house. It was wonderful to see heritage features maintained, new facilities added sensitively, and to appreciate all the stabilization and strengthening work that wasn’t visible.

Thanks so much to Kay and her husband for sharing their significant heritage home with us.

Whare Tane is listed by Heritage NZ as Category 1 and Auckland Council as Category A.

See here for pictures of Civic Trust’s last visit in 2014:

See here for a 2011 interview on RNZ:

See here for Stuff article on Trevor Lloyd:

Door detail carving by Trevor Lloyd.

Upstairs hall

Kay Wooff, husband Ken and Molly.

Civic Trust members and friends at Whare Tane lecture.