Cottage No 9

We're in Akaroa on Banks Peninsula just for the day. Thick grey cloud lies above the harbour with a few light spots of rain followed by some lightness on the water - not really the best day for scenic photography.

Akaroa is a small village with some fine architecture dating back to when the first settlers arrived of European and French descent. Many of the dwellings are kept in amazing condition and all have a story to be told.

Cottage No 9 is one of Akaroa’s least modified early cottages, this dwelling was built by a colourful early settler, Captain Bruce.

Captain Bruce, a whaler, settled in the infant town of Akaroa and ran the Bruce Hotel on the waterfront from 1842. In 1856 he built two cottages for his brother-in-law, John Donnet, and nieces who arrived from Scotland in 1855, after the death of Captain Bruce’s sister. This cottage was originally the home of John Donnet and his four unmarried daughters.

After John Donnet’s death in 1873, the cottage passed, with other property in the area, to the husband of one of his daughters, William Bruce (who was not related to the Captain).

A delightful cottage style garden full of spring flowers surrounds this little cottage which is looking quite rustic compared to others in the area.

We returned home via the summit road out of Akaroa dropping down into Okains Bay for a stroll along the beach before joining the main road home.