One of Canterbury's prominent pioneering families is the Deans family. Two brothers came out to NZ in 1840 and 1842 but because of issues with the land they were offered in Nelson and Manawatu they asked to farm down in the south at Pūtaringamotu, a place we now know as Riccarton. They also rented the land to the south and east which later became Christchurch. They were able to purchase Riccarton, a 400 acre farm, in 1848. At their suggestion the Ōtākaro river through the region was renamed the Avon after their river in Scotland. They kept half of Riccarton Bush and the other half went to the Canterbury Association for milling for timber. Today Riccarton Bush is a haven in the city. It has a predator proof fence around it and features many amazing trees. It is the sole Canterbury remnant of ancient podocarp forest which once covered larger areas of the region. The trees are mostly kahikatea (between 400 and 600 years old), totara, matai, kowhai, hinau and other species. The family donated it to the city in 1914 on the condition it was preserved for all time. Dean's cottage, built in late 1843 of mostly kahikatea and matai was moved onto the Riccarton House site in 1947, restored, then moved to the current site in 1970. It suffered little damage in the earthquakes bar the chimney which was repaired with Homebush bricks from their Glentunnel clayworks. Riccarton House is a popular place with a farmers’ market there every weekend. The city purchased it in 1947.
The family suffered loss when one brother died and another died young. Mrs Jane Deans, mother of the John Deans II who was born in 1853, came out to NZ in 1852. She married John Deans I after not seeing him for 10 years! Jane was able to set up coal mining and pottery on the Homebush farm which they purchased in 1850 and run it until John II could take over. The run was 33,000 acres. The Homebush homestead was built in 1851. Many New Zealanders have vivid memories of seeing the destruction wrought on the house during the September 4 2010 earthquake. Never a family to give up, the current owners, designed and built a new home which incorporated a few items from the old. The run was divided up between family members in 1906 when the government broke up the big runs. Apart from the house which was destroyed other old buildings did survive: The farm buildings were built from the 1850s onwards. Most of them still survive, such as the woolshed which is visible from the road, the stables, the pigsties, the house and the apple house built out of bricks made at the Homebush Pottery and Tile Works. They are a magnificent legacy to pioneering rural life and are classified in Category One by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. Visitors can go for tours but only if they book. Sometimes there is an open day - last one October 2019. The place is well worth a visit. Please take the utmost care on the road. It is very busy.
The cache is at S 43° 28.ABC E 171° 59.DEF. Checksum=29. To find this cache you need to find the following information
1. At the posted coordinates the number of windows visible +1 = A
2. At the posted coordinates the number of red doorways you can see = B
3. At WP1 total number of consonants in the first word on the sign = C
4. At WP2 or the road intersection there is safe parking. Cross the road with care to the brick fence. Add the digits in the rural fire number = D
5. Look at the brick wall on the left of the driveway closely. There is a square brick with some words on it set into the wall. The second letter looks like a number = E
6. Number of brick pillars plus the number of gates = F
The cache is not far from the parking site so walking to the final is recommended. Please watch the traffic. It is a busy road. Please bring a pen!