Our Story & Ethos

126 years of living on the land

Makoura Lodge was established in 1998 when Hugh McIntyre saw the need to diversify from his career in farming. He realised the potential in the beauty of the surroundings and wanted to share that with others. The Lodge was built with as many local materials as possible. The Lodge features macrocarpa timber milled from the property and rocks from the nearby Coal Creek River/ Makiekie for stonework. The impressive open-log fire surround and bar top are made from a Totara log that survived a scrub fire on the property. We acknowledge that Makoura Lodge would not be possible without our ancestors, who carved the way before us.

Ancestors Hugh and Agnes McIntyre immigrated from Glasgow, Scotland, in 1865. In 1898, their sons Jack and Hugh purchased the land where Makoura is today and began clearing it for farming and settlement. You get a sense of heritage in the Lodge with its variety of Scottish Whiskeys and the 1800s library that was part of Hugh’s Great Grandfather’s collection.

Our company Logo is a half-wagon wheel representing a journey. It symbolises how our family inhabited the land and how Makoura Lodge came to be. The Logo also represents our guests' journeys, whether it's a wedding, a special occasion, a business meeting, or just time away from life's stressors to relax.

Our tagline is “Free your mind, and your feet will follow”. When founders Hugh McIntyre and Geoff Payton sat around the table discussing the creation of Makoura Lodge and its ethos. They looked up at a calendar on the wall and saw the quote, “Free your mind, and your feet will follow”. That is it, they thought! All too often, we live in our heads; if you free your mind of fear or overthinking, you will have the confidence to take an adventure or a new path, and Makoura Lodge is a great place for that to happen. The McIntyre daughters offer ways to free your mind so your feet can follow. Kimberley does this with her Horses 4 Us personal development workshops, and Brooke does this with her yoga instruction.

Today, Makoura Lodge is owned by Hugh McIntyre, his daughter, Kimberley, and her partner, Luke. Kimberley and Luke are 5th generation on the property, and their daughter Hazel is the 6th. Kimberley says, “The wairua (spirit), friendly people, and whenua (land) of Makoura Lodge provide a peaceful space for people to connect, celebrate love, share ideas, and create lasting memories. There is just something about it here, and people are just able to relax and feel good”.

We pride ourselves on providing heart-warming, genuine manakitanga (hospitality). We do this by creating plenty of hearty, nourishing kai with locally farmed meat and produce from our garden, greeting our guests at the front door, and offering personal, authentic rural hospitality so you feel right at home and go home with your cup filled.