1871 - 1943 (72 years)

Dorset House was originally called Remuera (Remu-wera – a Maori word that roughly translates to "burnt hem of a garment") and built in 1871 by J.B.Way. Mr Way was a cash buyer of oats and barley who moved into importing and selling timber. The firm eventually became the Addington Timber Company. The house remained in the Way family for 72 years.

The impressive 13.7 by 5.4 metre drawing room (now the guest lounge) was built for the Way’s golden wedding anniversary in February 1912. Unfortunately, Mr Way died 4 months after his golden wedding anniversary at the age of 74. Anecdotes from prior residents suggest that this room was also used as a ballroom at times while the house was a private home.

In Victorian times a drawing-room was used for comfortable sitting and as the principal room for entertaining. A drawing room was earlier titled the ‘withdrawing room’ because it was used for women to withdraw after dinner.

The site also included 6 stalls in the stable and a coach house. Portulaca grew in the circular driveway, where the white house is now, and croquet was played on the lawn where the red brick house is now sited. The house was lavish and very well appointed for its time and included three Italian marble fireplaces (one marble fireplace remains). At its grandest, the house had 27 rooms.

Mr Way had a large family of seven children including five daughters and two sons. Two of the daughters married and the house remained in the name of Jack Way, accountant, who lived here with 2 sisters.

The house stayed in the Way family for about 70 years until it was sold in 1943. It was then divided into five flats and land around it sold off to be used for other houses.

1943 - 1972 (29 years)

In 1943, the house was sold to the Nutt family for £3,000. The house was then divided into five flats. The family then sold off the two front sections that had their boundaries along Park Terrace.

1972 - 1980 (8 years)

In 1972, the Redemptionist Fathers brought the house and it became known as Hafbaeur House. The drawing room that was originally built for the first owners golden wedding anniversary was converted to a chapel for meditation and prayer. Hafbaeur House was used as a retreat for members of the order.

The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Latin: Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris – C.Ss.R or CSSR) is a Roman Catholic missionary order founded in 1732 by Saint Alphonsus Liguori. Members of the order are known as Redemptorists. Priests and brothers continue to work in more than 77 countries around the world.

1980 - 1998 (19 years)

In 1980 the house was sold to the government and rented to The Richmond Fellowship New Zealand Inc. who renamed it Dorset House. It became a treatment centre and half way house for psychiatric patients. Richmond Fellowship is a major national provider of community mental health and support services in New Zealand and is one of New Zealand’s largest Non-Government Organisations. Richmond Fellowship is part of the international network of Richmond Fellowship and is affiliated with 40 organisations worldwide.

When established in New Zealand in 1978, Richmond Fellowship provided services for young adults with a range of psychological and social needs. Over the past decade Richmond Fellowship has increasingly provided specialist services for people with the most complex and challenging issues. Richmond Fellowship and its clients work together to determine much of the direction of treatment, ensuring support and services are truly client focused. In practice this means that each client’s needs are paramount.

Richmond Fellowship moved out of Dorset House in March 1996 and it remained empty for the next two years as the government tried to find a purchaser.

1998 - 2006 (8 years)

In November 1998 Dorset House Limited purchased Dorset House. At this stage the house had become quite run down due to a couple of years sitting empty. The Kay family still saw the potential of the property and converted Dorset House to a backpacker hostel. Richard Kay managed and ran the hostel and drew on previous experience as a backpackers hostel owner in Kaikoura. Richard worked hard and succeeding in establishing a friendly hostel with good amenities and a place many backpackers consider a home away from home. Dorset House Limited decided to sell the property in 2006 as after over 15 years as a backpackers hostel owner and manager, Richard was ready to move on to a new challenge.

2006 - Now

In November 2006, Dorset House Lodge Limited saw the potential of the property as a business and purchased Dorset House Backpackers. Michelle Abley and her husband have come into the budget accommodation business with new and exciting ideas for Dorset House. They are building on the good reputation and quality established by the Kay family and already there have been numerous upgrades to improve the standard of backpackers accommodation on offer. A friendly, personal feel, complete with its rich history, allows Dorset House Backpackers Hostel and its management to stand out.