Wānaka Hotel

A colourised photo of the first Wānaka Hotel, taken about 1875

In 1867, Theodore Russell acquired a block of land overlooking Roys Bay, more or less where the current Wānaka Hotel is situated and towards the Bay. In reality, he occupied the land as a squatter. He spent the rest of his life trying to obtain title or a lease to the property, with a number of applications recorded and all declined, until approval finally came through just after he died in 1877.

In partnership with Charles Hedditch[1], his brother-in-law, they built the first Wanaka Hotel on this land. It was claimed to be the first building in Wānaka and was certainly the first commercial building. Judging by the advertisements in the newspapers, it opened about November 1868.

Whilst it is commonly reported in many publications that Theodore was the owner of the hotel from its inception until his death, the partnership between Theodore and Charles was dissolved on 1 January 1869, less than 2 months after the hotel opened. The hotel business was carried on by Charles Hedditch, in partnership with Thomas A Russell, who is believed to be Theodore’s younger brother, Thomas Augustus Russell (born 11 September 1847). Later in the early 1880’s, Thomas was an occupier of Run 468 jointly with J B Ewing and Celia I Russell, which suggests a close relationship.

[1] Actual name was Elijah Charlton Hedditch

Both Theodore and Charles were born in Australia and arrived in Cardrona about 1862, where they were the principal owners of the successful Gin and Raspberry gold claim before they ventured into the timber milling trade. They involved themselves in delivering timber, mainly from the Matukituki Valley, down the Clutha by raft and onto Cromwell, over a number of years, as well as building boats for servicing the Sheep Runs, other residents around the Lake and tourists.

On 21 September 1967, Theodore married Celia, a sister of Charles Hedditch.

However, back to the Hotel. Over two months later, Theodore was advertising on 9 March 1870 that he is the sole proprietor of the establishment. What happened? Was there a falling out between Charles Hedditch and Thomas Russell and Theodore has stepped in to settle matters? It is noted that Theodore had built the sailing boat Isabella (22 tons) in late 1869 and “shortly after” it was sold to Charles Hedditch, maybe as part of a settlement? Unfortunately for Charles Hedditch, the Isabella was wrecked in October 1870 at Damper Bay.

Early on, Theodore had the foresight to see that Pembroke was a potential tourist attraction, which has developed into a major industry for the area.

This advertisement is from the Dunstan Times on 18 December 1868 and is the earliest advertisement found relating to tourism in Wānaka. Note that this is dated no more than 8 years after the first family arrived in the area! There are other advertisements by the owners of sailing boats seeking customers and promoting the hotel.

But Theodore was not a man to stand still, and remember, at this stage he is only 27 years old.

Early maps show that he and his wife Celia owned or leased a number of properties around Wānaka – even Theodore’s brother Thomas had property interests, including the land where the Caltex Petrol Station now stands. 

The following is a summary of some of the other events Theodore was part of:

1872: he raced the cutter Dart on Lake Wānaka as part of a regatta.

1872: he was racing his horses at the Albert Town racetrack and was Secretary of the Racing Club.

1872: he was advertising for shepherds and also teamsters to take wool to Dunedin.

1872: he was fined 5/- plus costs 9/6d for allowing a raffle at his hotel.

1873: he was advertising for the sale of all or part of the Eureka Co’s assets – the ketch Eureka, ketch Isabella, a jetty and land, a stonehouse, lumber etc.

1874: he had contracts on hand for over 100,000 feet of timber to be taken from Lake Wānaka to Cromwell. This was usually achieved with 3000 foot rafts, two at a time.

1875: he raced his 4-oared boat called the Makarora at the Lake Wānaka Regatta.

1876: with J B Ewing he leased 160 acres in the Matukituki and proceeded to establish a sawmill there. It was opened in January 1877.

1876: he took the first mail that had arrived in Pembroke from the West Coast via the Haast Pass, down to Cromwell.

1877: he spoke on behalf of the Matukituki ratepayers at a meeting in Cardrona about separating from the Lake County. 

Theodore died prematurely, aged 33, on 14 November 1877 at Perriams Hotel, Lowburn. He had been on a rafting trip to Cromwell and fell ill with enteric (a disease of the intestines). Apparently, Theodore had suffered from this disease for quite some time.

Theodore did not live to see the Hotel land placed in his name – that happened in 1878. And so, the Upper Clutha lost a very capable and valuable citizen. Theodore’s wife, Celia, took over the hotel (she was probably running it anyway!). She managed the hotel and built the Olympic Hall across the road for use by the Upper Clutha residents and the hotel business. She was very well thought of in the Wānaka Community and died on 27 August 1905.

After her death, about seven owners and lessors operated the hotel, but that all ended on 27 November 1922 when the hotel buildings burned to the ground. Hugh Glass repossessed the land (he had been leasing out the hotel) and set about building a new hotel building.

He immediately set about rebuilding, using a design by E W Walden of Dunedin. The new hotel opened in early December 1923 and became very popular amongst travellers to Wānaka, including the Duke of York in 1927.

Hotel ownership changed hands two or three times after that, until 14 June 1958 when it was destroyed by fire (again).

The visit by the Duke of York in 1927

The Tourist Hotel Corporation purchased the land in 1961 and proceeded to build a new hotel on the land it now occupies. The Lake Wānaka Centre now occupies the land where the two original hotels were built.