“I wasn’t sure we could save her when I first walked in on February 25th.”

When site manager Grant Findlay looked through the 123 year old Te Koraha homestead at Rangi Ruru Girls’ School, on which he had worked so hard to restore ten years before, he questioned this time whether anything could be done to fix her.

“Several chimney’s had come through the roof, there was plaster everywhere, the walls were buckled and cracked; it really was a hell of a mess,” he says.

Now 17 months later, this Grade 2 category listed heritage building has been fully renovated and restored to its former glory and will be officially reopened tomorrow (Tuesday 7 August).

Rangi Ruru Principal, Julie Moor gives full credit to the incredible work of Grant and his team.

“So many talented and hard working people were involved in this project and we are all grateful for their dedication and skill, as they repaired and renovated Te Koraha, which is an important building – not only for Rangi Ruru but for the city of Christchurch,” she says.

Before February 2011, Te Koraha was used as an administrative building, now this beautiful homestead will include teaching spaces as well as offices.

“The sense of community and the support from that community over the last 18 months has reiterated the significance of sharing spaces, and an important part of that was to bring students into Te Koraha,” says Julie Moor.

The official proceedings to reopen Te Koroha begin with a dawn ceremony including a Maori blessing at 7.20am, and a ceremony at 10am during which the homestead will be officially reopened.

Current plans to redevelop and rebuild Rangi Ruru are on track with the clearing of areas of the site in October this year. Building will commence soon after that. The first new classrooms should be ready in mid 2013. Go to for the earlier media release regarding the new school development (www.alijonespr.co.nz/assets/Uploads/Rangi-Ruru-Concept-Plans-Illustrate-Inspirational-Approach-20-July-2012.pdf).