The Homestead was built for Frenchman Bernard Mora, who jumped ship in Akaroa in 1859, and his Irish wife Mary in 1898. There is a sense of pioneer history that still lingers: cocksfoot pastures, Totara-clad fences, the delightful Takamatua cheese factory and old school building.
Native forest stretches from the valley floor to the saddle of the crater rim along the fringes of the creek, providing cover for a wide variety of native birds and stunning glimpses of Akaroa Harbour.
As second generation farmers here, we feel privileged to live and work on Coombe Farm, enjoying the ebb and flow of the seasons and peaceful way of life. As caretakers of this special place, we enjoy sharing it, opening the house and garden to groups and the land to walkers and horse riders.
Our valley is named Takamatua which means "rest after a journey," which explains why Coombe Farm is such a refreshing haven.
