About Wendy: Wendy went to school in the UK and after Art College spent sometime working with fabrics in now famous Biba fashion house in High Street, Kensington. From then we can track Wendy's journey to New Zealand, travelling first through the Mediterranean countries of Europe settling for while in Crete where she became interested in harvesting and production of Olives. Perhaps it was this experience that is now at the fore some twenty years after settling in NZ.  Wendy tends some 300 Olive trees (with the help of her partner Michael), collects honey from the bee hives she keeps beneath the Manuka bush and has a flourishing veggi patch to satisfy local needs, all this as well as managing to teach 2 or 3 days at the Steiner School in Christchurch. Wendy embraces a natural and organic approach to all things.

About Michael:  Michael is Wendy's partner, an Irishman by birth who has spent most of his adult life in Australia and New Zealand. His background before he came to Purau was as an Engineering Draftsman and Technican publishing. He is one of the worlds eternal optimists undertaking everything with enthusiasm and thoroughness and perhaps it was this approach that made him embrace the possibility of building the house that you are currently considering as your FarmStay. From looking at plans to Project managing and then actually laying the blocks could not have happened without his learned expertise and continued optimism. Michael is presently recovering from all that work while looking to help run the farmstay and at the same time find a physically kinder occupation in administration.

About Mike:  Mike is English and Wendy's cousin. During  the 60's he immigrated to the States and helped bring rugger to the Mid-West of America playing first for the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Later he worked in a travel company as a guide and driver for American students travelling to Europe. However by the 70's he was back in the UK teaching Biology and then moved into Careers Counselling and IT development in Hertfordshire Careers Service where he met his partner Margaret. Now retired, besides spending the UK winters in sunny New Zealand, he works as a volunteer for several charities where he develops databases and handles their management information for their funders.

About Margaret:  Margaret is also from the UK,  a graduate of languages from the University of Southampton who began her working life in tourism which included a period of time with the then Yugoslav National Tourist Office. It was after this that she trained as a guidance cousellor in the Career Service where her work was mostly with young people with special educational needs. For the last few years she has been an independent consultant supporting organizations in their work with these young people. This allows her the flexibility to take the time to visit Purau each English winter which she and Mike have made their second home.  

About the House & Garden:   Built from thermally efficient Hebel blocks our Farmstay is cool in summer and warm in winter. It has been a self-build project using natural timbers and finishes throughout.

Building in the mist