Buyers study up on next chapter for historic former convent school
Future options abound for an historic former convent school, currently home to a luxury resort and conference facility, which has gone up for sale near Oamaru.
Known as the Teschemakers Resort, the property is located 13 km south of Oamaru and contains a variety of former school buildings, a cottage and a heritage-listed chapel, which helped shape the history of north Otago.
Salespeople Muir Gold and Robin Hyndman said the offering included buildings with a total floor area of approximately 4500 sqm on more than 10.7 hectares of land. The site is zoned Rural General by Waitaki District Council.
The freehold land and buildings at 280 Teschemakers Road, Oamaru, are now being marketed for sale by expressions of interest closing on Friday 18 February, through Bayleys Metro Dunedin.
‘‘This sprawling historic property has a unique atmosphere and charm, with character buildings, mature landscaped gardens and a heritage chapel,’’ said Gold.
‘‘The impressive two-storey main building is immaculately presented and offers a welcoming presence amid the gardens. The chapel is an exceptional architectural delight which provides an imposing keystone to the whole complex.’’
Hyndman said the chapel, which has a Category B heritage listing, was a particularly attractive asset for weddings or spiritual activities.
‘‘The chapel’s late-Gothic design incorporates flying buttresses, a rose window and apsidal sanctuary. It was built in local Oamaru stone, with five of the stained-glass windows imported from Birmingham, England. The altar, made of Carrara marble with an alabaster bas-relief of the Last Supper, was imported from Italy,’’ he said.
The site was originally part of the Taipo Estate bought in 1860 by William Teschemaker. In 1911, the then owners bequeathed part of the land to the Catholic church to establish a boarding school for girls. Teschemakers College closed in the late 1970s, but the Church retained the property as a spiritual retreat.
In 2000, it was sold to a Japanese businessman, Dr Hirotomo Ochi, who sought to establish an international post-graduate college with accommodation. The project was abandoned when Dr Ochi died in 2005.
The next owners established a wedding and conference venue and in 2017 the current owner bought the property and incorporated
Teschemakers Resort into his international travel operation. The advent of Covid-19 in 2020 caused the expanding business to switch its focus to domestic travellers, conferences and weddings.
‘‘The property is today home to fully redeveloped luxury accommodation and conference facilities, with meeting rooms and a full commercial kitchen. The current resort business operates primarily from the rebuilt main building,’’ said Gold.
‘‘Existing consents allow for function activities with up to 160 guests, visitor accommodation and dining facilities for up to 130.
‘‘Accommodation currently includes 18 units with ensuites, comprising 12 studios and six twobedroom units.’’
Hyndman said several other buildings offered themselves for redevelopment, including the threestorey ex-dormitory, the classroom block and swimming pool.
‘‘In response to past growth, the current owner secured building consent to expand the resort by redeveloping the former dormitory and provide additional accommodation in the main building.
‘‘Full working drawing plans are available for the proposed dormitory conversion into 24 studio units.’’