OBSERVATORY LODGE FEATURES
GUEST FACILITIES
Complimentary WiFi is provided throughout the Lodge and a printer is available for guest use.
A Small Kitchenette with a fridge is provided for guests to prepare tea or coffee at their leisure.
Both Rooms are supplied with soft natural rainwater heated by solar panels on your roof and specially treated and UV sterilised without the chlorine or other chemical additives found in most water supplies.
Binoculars are provided for you to do some bird watching or stargazing at your leisure with informative books and guides in the room to lead you on your adventure.
Solar Viewing Glasses are also provided so you can safely observe any sunspots on our nearest star, the Sun.
Complimentary Stargazing Astronomy Tours are provided for all guests staying two nights or more on one evening. If weather conditions are unsuitable a daytime stargazing tour is also available instead.
UNIQUE CONSTRUCTION FEATURES
70 Million Year Old Fossil-Bearing Marble tiles specially selected and brought back from Persia by Alastair line the floors of your room and the floors and walls of the bathrooms. Granite and marble floors in other rooms provide passive solar heating in summer. In the winter wood harvested on the property fuels the boiler for the cosy underfloor heating throughout the Lodge.
Wood Paneling, Floors and Doors throughout the facilities are constructed of preservative-free timber from a variety of trees, most of which were planted, grown, harvested and milled on the 6ha (18 acre) property by your hosts. Most of these trees were planted as wind breaks for the 350 macadamia nut trees in our organic orchard.
French Doors open out onto the expansive deck from both rooms. It is here that you will begin your evening stargazing tour and in the morning where you will enjoy your continental breakfast, weather permitting. Steps at the end of the deck lead up to the main astronomy tours level with the large binocular telescope and 3.5m rotating observatory dome housing the main 14" telescope.
You Will Most Probably Wake to the sight and sounds of a range of native and migratory birds enjoying the bush clad hills. In the evening you might just be lucky enough to hear the call of the endangered nocturnal and flightless Kiwi. You will almost certainly hear and may even catch a glimpse of the native NZ owl, the Morepork.
