Wallingford Homestead and front lawn. PHOTO: HAWKE’S BAY TOURISM Sourdough lessons, truffle forest hikes and decadent dinners go hand-in-hand with luxury at this heritage lodge in Hawke’s Bay, writes Jacqui Gibson. Deep in the countryside, a lone ute rattles down a tree-lined road as the promise of spring hangs in the air.
Time seemingly stands still. A century-old wooden homestead crouches low beyond farmland and an unsealed driveway. A plump kererū crosses the sky.
It’s late afternoon on this rural link road, which meanders its way southeast from the inland service town of Waipukurau to coastal Pōrangahau in Hawke’s Bay. Wallingford hosts Jeanette Woerner and Chris Stockdale. PHOTO: JACQUI GIBSON My husband and I are driving the road to Wallingford Homestead for a long weekend.
The historic-home-turned-luxury-lodge is run by Aussie expat and longtime restaurateur Jeanette Woerner and her New Zealand husband Chris Stockdale, an award-winning chef. In 2018, the pair left Sydney and a proud legacy of running some of the city’s best-loved eateries for a quieter life at Wallingford where they manage the property and look after up to 15 guests. Hawke’s Bay is a destination known for its wineries, fruit orchards, farm-to-table restaurants and — increasingly — its unique culture and heritage.
There’s Napier’s celebrated architecture and annual Art Deco Festival; the Māori love song Pōkarekare Ana was penned by a rangatira from Hastings. Today, a handful .