About Us

Rosebrooke Hall and Gardens features the beautiful vintage hall which became known as “The Hall” after being brought back from dereliction by Eugene and Joanna O’Reilly in 2014.

The Hall was originally the Hungahunga Hall and the old signage can still be seen in the backstage area inside the hall. It was built in the early 1950’s by members of the Hungahunga farming community who donated their time to expanding the community’s opportunities for social and recreational fun. The tongue and groove matai floor was intended to be level enough for indoor bowls and springy enough for social dancing.

Before the hall or the school existed, the area was known as the great Hungahunga swamp. It was subdivided in 1913 and had a drain put through it commissioned by the Matamata Piako County Council during WW1. After the war, new families settled in the Hungahunga area, gradually draining the swamp and working the land until they could plant it in grasses to feed stock. Early testing of cows by Herd Testing NZ proved that this area of the Waikato supported the highest producing dairy cows in New Zealand (in term’s of milk fat content). Barrels of milk were taken to local butter and cheese factories in Te Aroha and Waharoa where the high fat content was well rewarded.

The Hall construction project was the last of a series of major projects completed by residents between the years 1920 and 1950. Despite the aftermath of two world wars, the era was one of prosperity and hope for the farming community. The Hungahunga School was established in 1923 and residents were responsible for drilling a water bore and installing a swimming pool in the 1940’s so that children could learn to swim. Success with these projects gave the community confidence to move forward with their most ambitious plan which was to build a community Hall.

At the funeral of Hungahunga local identity, Brian Williams, many families responsible for the building of the Hall were reunited. Retired local resident Colin Nicholson recalled that his dad was involved in getting permission from council for the land, permits, plans and finance. There was a core group of team leaders who progressed this work. Trees were felled and milled from the Thomas property at Waihou. Foundations, drains, septic tank and water supply were planned and installed. Jigs were set up to create the roof trusses. Cement, gravel, boxing timber and other essentials were carted by farm truck from the Gordon Quarry and builders supplies in Te Aroha. The Thames Valley Electric Power Board provided a free connection during the build, and a discounted rate for many years following. Colin’s dad purchased special timber floor cramps to press the matai tongue and groove planks together. No treated pine existed back then, and the framing, floor joists and roof trusses were made from native timbers. Colin was just a teenage boy during the build process, but he recounted a story about the day his dad’s concrete mixer was stolen from the building site. His dad was a stoic farmer who didn’t often show emotion, but Colin was moved to see his dad’s tears when the community joined together to replace his equipment so the construction of the Hall could continue. Te Aroha electrician Wong Wah did the wiring and a local plasterer Mr Goodman made the plaster boards and square vent panels which were painstakingly fabricated on site. There was a big opening celebration with plenty of beers and the hall became the centre of the community social activities, housing many gatherings including indoor bowls club, table tennis club, 500 card evenings, community dances, film showings, school end of year concerts, Womens Division of Federated Farmers meetings, plus many family and community celebrations.

Sadly the hall was not well maintained by the following generations and fell into disrepair. It was was purchased in a derelict state by Eugene and Joanna O’Reilly in 2014 and brought back to life. Many of Joanna and Eugene’s family and friends came together to assist them in restoring the building sufficiently to meet council requirements. The piles were replaced. The roof was replaced and many parts of the building were repaired and repainted. Between 2015-2021 the building hosted many happy wedding occasions as The Hall wedding venue.

The Hall was acquired in 2021 by Kristin and Evan Williams, having bought the property (site unseen) while overseas. Evan and Kristin had difficulty getting back to NZ due to covid restrictions closing NZ borders. Kristin used to be a Te Aroha local. She was raised within a rural Te Aroha family (younger daughter of Winston and Sheena Davey) and she felt that she was coming home. Unfortunately Kristin passed away in December of that year and didn’t get her chance to experience The Hall in all it’s beautiful vintage glory. Kristin’s funeral was the first funeral held at the venue. Since her passing, Evan and members of the family have undertaken many more renovations and worked hard to renew the gardens and bring Kristin’s vision for the property to life. The “rustic” state of the property has been transformed into it’s new “loved and cared for” presentation. It is once again available for family events, formal functions, dancing, workshops and of course weddings. The grounds will be nurtured just as she intended, and the business will sustain the ongoing upkeep of the Hall for many years into the future.

References:
Matamata Piako District Council Diamond Jubilee History Book
Writings from Colin Nicholson
Personal accounts from community members present at the funeral of Brian Williams.