Hayes Engineering in Oturehua

The Hayes family homestead and engineering works really is an intriguing place and tribute to the term ‘No 8 wire thinking.’ The best thing about it is the fact that it hasn’t been modernised in the way that a lot of tourist attractions are these days. It’s presented in just the way it was used, as a backyard shed. In fact, an argument can be made for Ernest Hayes to be one of the original backyard Kiwi innovators (even though he was actually English!). Set amongst the rural backdrop of Oturehua in Central Otago, Hayes set-up his home and engineering workshop around 1895 where he invented all manner of agricultural tools, rabbit bait cutters, wind turbines and a patented wire strainer for applying tension to wire on farm fences. Which is still in production to this very day.