The Fern & Thistle is Balclutha's only luxury accommodation, set on 6,000m2 of private landscaped gardens at Benhar, just outside Balclutha in South Otago. At its centre is Lesmahagow, the magnificent villa built in 1914 for Peter McSkimming, the Scottish-born sanitary ware industrialist whose family built Benhar as New Zealand's first feudal town in the late 1800s to service their factory operations. The house takes its name from Catherine McSkimming's home town in Lanarkshire, Scotland, and it was lovingly restored and reopened to the public in 2020.
Inside, heritage character now meets modern convenience: central heating, a commercial kitchen, uncapped Starlink WiFi at up to 256mb/s, a quality DeLonghi coffee machine, a Canadian cedar barrel sauna and a fresh water hot pool. The room tariff includes a continental breakfast of homemade bread and jams, cereal, yoghurt and fruit, and guests can help themselves to complimentary beer, cider and soft drinks from the communal drinks fridge.
There are three principal guest rooms — the McSkimmings Suite, the O'Malley Suite and the Iwikatea Room — each with its own character and access to the estate's shared amenities. Beyond the house, the rose gardens, formal lawns and terraces provide a backdrop for parties, weddings, family gatherings and no shortage of photo opportunities, making the Fern & Thistle as suited to a special event as to a quiet Clutha getaway.
The Fern & Thistle is Balclutha's only luxury accommodation, and its setting is unlike anywhere else in South Otago. At its heart stands Lesmahagow, a magnificent villa built in 1914 by Peter McSkimming, the sanitary ware magnate whose factory operations shaped the little settlement of Benhar. Lovingly restored and reopened to the public in 2020, the house now pairs its heritage bones with central heating, a commercial kitchen, fast Starlink WiFi, a quality coffee machine, a cedar sauna and a fresh water hot pool — everything you want at the end of a day spent exploring the Clutha region.
Benhar exists because of clay and coal. John Nelson opened the Benhar Coal Company in 1864, the McSkimming family arrived from Scotland in 1878, and by 1894 they were in full control of Benhar Pottery. The McSkimmings built Benhar as New Zealand's first feudal town in the late 1800s to service their extensive factory operations, and in 1914 Peter raised Lesmahagow at its heart. The house takes its name from Catherine McSkimming's home place in Lanarkshire, Scotland, and that date still marks the building today.
Peter McSkimming died in 1923, closing the founding generation, but the house and works stayed central to Benhar's identity. The formal garden and pergola visible today trace to landscape work completed in 1935, and a later chapter of O'Malley stewardship saw serious restoration money spent, including steel reinforcement around the historic pergola. The industrial era ended when fire destroyed the factory in February 1990. What survives is the house, the garden, and an unusually rich archive — family portraits, workers' group photos, trade-show displays of bricks and earthenware, and the blackened kiln yard — which the Fern & Thistle shares through its history galleries and a timeline running from 1864 to the works' final chapter.
Restoration here hasn't meant freezing the house in amber. Guests arrive to central heating, uncapped Starlink internet at up to 256mb/s, and a DeLonghi automatic coffee grinder alongside a large assortment of teas and instant coffees. The room tariff includes a continental breakfast of homemade bread and jams, cereal, yoghurt and fruit, and a communal drinks fridge stocked with complimentary beer, cider and softdrinks keeps evenings easy.
Outdoors, the amenities are the kind people plan a stay around. The new barrel sauna is made from aromatic Canadian cedar and seats up to six, with a dedicated private sauna experience available to book. The gas-fired hot tub invites a long soak under the fairy lights and stars, and the fresh water hot pool is waiting when you return from a day out.
There are three principal guest rooms. The McSkimmings Suite is the slightly grander option, fitting the house's history while still feeling easy, private and grounded. The O'Malley Suite is a calm room layered with heritage texture and practical comfort, well suited to weekends away or longer South Otago stays. The Iwikatea Room is warm and polished, with generous light, character details and access to the estate's shared amenities.
Lesmahagow sits on 6,000m2 of private landscaped gardens — rose garden frontage, formal lawns and terrace views around the house. The grounds provide a perfect backdrop for parties, weddings and family gatherings, with ample photo opportunities, and the team welcomes venue and event enquiries.
The location works as well for explorers as for event guests. Benhar sits just outside Balclutha, an easy launch point for the wider Clutha area, with the sauna and hot pool ready when you get back. Whether you come for the history, the garden, a wedding, or simply a quiet night in a beautifully restored 1914 villa, the Fern & Thistle makes a memorable South Otago base.