One of the hardest days of my building career was seeing Paradise Homestead go up in flames. In May 2014, a lightning strike started a fire, which then blazed through the homestead, gutting half of the building. The back section of the building that housed the bedrooms was saved thanks to the quick response from the rural Glenorchy Fire Service and the Queenstown Fire Service.
I have great affection for this beautiful old building, having worked on the original restoration in 2009. While I was devastated to hear of its destruction in the fire, I was honoured that I was asked to restore the building once again. MK Builders returned to Paradise Trust in late 2014 and created a new annexe to the original homestead building, now known as Miller House. The homestead’s two original fireplaces have been left at the front of the building as a reminder of what was there before. The opening of Miller House in November 2014 was a special moment and an important acknowledgement of the hard work that went into the project and the support from the local community.
For more information on Paradise Trust, or to book a truly incredible accommodation experience, visit the website here.