Michael D.Heath-Caldwell M.Arch.

Michael Heath-Caldwell M.Arch
Brisbane, Queensland
ph: 0412-78-70-74
alt: m_heath_caldwell@hotmail.com

Orongorongo 1956

Orongaronga House, near Wellington. Photo from "The New Zealand House" by Sir Michael Fowler and Robert Van de Voort.

Daddios' memoirs, will update, but as the tape-recorder has decided to chew up any tape put in it, it will be a bit difficult. The gist of it was that I always liked the look of this house, and its strange, unobtrusive elegance. When I showed a photo of it to my mother I was a bit surprised when she said that she had been there. I presumed that it must have been some horsey do, gymkana thing. From Daddios' memoirs it appears that on arrival in New Zealand in 1956 they had been recommended to go and see Dan Riddiford at Orongorongo near Wellington. Dan Riddiford was supposed to be 'our man' in New Zealand as Heaths Insurance representative. According to Michael Fowlers book "The New Zealand House" Orongorongo was designed by Charles T. Natusch of Napier. Charles Natusch did a number of large elegant houses that had a very (and very rare) "New Zealand" characteristic to them.

Letter - 1957

Last Sunday we paid a visit to the Riddifords - the people that Cousin Madeline knows - one was Yvonne Westmacott, Madeleine's God-Daughter. We had lunch with them in their very pleasant house at (Lowng?) Bay. All the gardens are lovely just at the moment - full of flowers of English varieties and full too of flowers we have never seen before.

Another view of Orongaronga House.

Interior of Orongaronga, near Wellington

Bushy Park, near Wanganui. 1978

Also by Charles Natusch. He may have sold similar plans to an Australian person at Undarra up the Queensland coast as the owner of that place said he had a replica of the house.

Aerial view of Bushy Park from an early photo hanging in the house.

More recent view of Bushy Park.

This one in Napier also looks as if it has some influences of C.L. Natusch in it.

The extension wing at Oruawharo also looks a tad Natusch.

Another Natusch house near Masterton

Gwavas Homstead near Napier

Matapiro homstead. Can't work out whether this is the Olive Oil producing place.

Atawhai House, Palmeston North.

Highden Manor, near Palmeston North Highden Manor. This seem to be from Natusch's pointy period. Can not find my photos from a visit in the 1980s, somewhere on the computer.