Whakahā
Mist rolling over the hills above Whakahā

Our Story

We arrived at Whakahā on a dull grey day

It was the kind of day that hides a property's strengths but it couldn't conceal how special this place is

We had childhoods playing by rivers. Building river stone dams and catching brown trout in buckets, fingers numb and hearts full.

When we had our own children, we wanted to give them the same. A place where they can roam without us watching every step. Where days are defined by the weather and the water, not bound by a screen.

We were looking for a river. A big sky. Somewhere families and friends could gather. A place to breathe out. We put in an offer the same afternoon we first came here. Now we're sharing Whakahā with you.

Sunset over the ranges from WhakahāAerial view of Whakahā's landscaped grounds and pavilion

The Whakahā Vision

A place to breathe out

This is a true rural property. It may be quietly luxurious, but it's a home. Our dream was a house that sits well on the land, bows to the grandeur of the river and mountains, and speaks to its heritage as a working farm.

When we renovated the property in 2024 we didn't demolish the old house. We used what was here, keeping the original lines, framing the views with vast doors and windows, landscaping the grounds to create islands of connection echoing the way the braided Rangitata River runs.

We built this special place for our family. Then we threw open the doors because it's too good not to share. Our long-term vision is to create more places to gather, where more families can take the time to reconnect, in idyllic corners of New Zealand worth slowing down for. This is the first. So, welcome to Whakahā.

Camille and Chris Hughes with their children in the Whakahā kitchen

Your Hosts

Founders of Whakahā

Camille Hughes

Camille grew up on a dairy farm in South Canterbury with the Hinds River at the end of the paddock. She's spent two decades redesigning things – homes, teams, businesses, and the way people carry load. She has a gift for walking into a space and seeing not what it is, but what it 
could become.

When Camille and Chris found Whakahā on a grey overcast afternoon, she saw past the attached garage and tiny windows to where the light would fall and how the river needed to be framed. Today's tranquil space began from the intuition she had on that very first day.

Chris Hughes

Chris grew up spending weekends at his family's bach, playing with the neighbours' kids, riding his quad bike by the river. The rhythm of those stays – slow mornings, long days outside, everyone together without any particular agenda – shaped his idea of what time off should feel like.

He's spent 25 years building and scaling businesses and brought that same conviction and commercial discipline to Whakahā. The vision needed someone who could hold the long view and make it real. That's Chris.

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