Old-fashioned Waimauku hospitality

Heather Wilson has built a conference retreat "with a difference" - River Mill, a building depicting the late 1800s timber milling era.

Opened in June, 1997, the Waimauku riverside retreat has a Davenport steam engine which used to haul kauri to a mill. It is next to Matua Valley Wines and The Hunting Lodge Restaurant and in yesteryear there were timber mills upstream and downstream of it.

From an early age, Heather Wilson had a passion to be self employed. She purchased her first property at age 16 and established Critter Creek, a "Club Med" for pets.

After operating Critter Creek successfully for 20 years she set her sights on a new dream, a retreat where she could provide a "special kind of experience" for her guests.

She wanted a place, she says, in keeping with her own "old-fashioned values of country hospitality," with open log fires and the "simplicity of good home-baked food you probably haven't tasted since you were a kid."

When she opened the doors to River Mill - after two years of battling to get a resource consent and managing the project - Heather Wilson faced the challenge of learning the ropes of a new business.

The biggest challenge, she says, was learning to cook, then getting the kitchen producing the style of food she wanted. She achieved that with an "all-girl team who share her passion."

Heather Wilson had identified a growing market which was looking for peace, seclusion and innovative team-building, utilising the abundance of natural assets close by. River Mill, she says, "is already a great success."

She teams up with the Daring Adventure Company to provide professional training programmes designed to suit the training objectives of client companies.

"Adventure journeys can mean abseiling a waterfall, surf-boating the waves at Muriwai, or negotiating bush tracks by 4x4 bikes."

Alternatively, there are after-conference activities such as badminton, petanque or gumboot throwing."

Then there are "fun and inspiring" programmes - such as "French art classes" - to create team vision, balanced lifestyles and personal and professional potential, Heather Wilson says.

She can cater for up to 50 conference attendees. There are two breakout rooms and a courtyard.

River Mill does not have its own accommodation, but seven twin-share "vineyard cottages" are on an adjoining property and it has other accommodation arrangements too.

Each vineyard cottage is self-contained, with a stocked pantry, complimentary wine, and indoor log fire. Guests can enjoy self-catered bacon-and-egg breakfasts on their private patios overlooking the grapevines.