One of Cromwell’s best-kept secrets will be open to the public this weekend to raise awareness of a restored community asset.
Cromwell Heritage Precinct is hosting a garden party on the grounds of McNulty House in the Heritage Precinct on Saturday afternoon.
Cromwell Heritage Precinct Board member Katie Seymour said the event was an opportunity to fundraise, but also to raise awareness of the house and the precinct.
Cromwell’s population had grown significantly — and many new residents had little idea about the Heritage Precinct or its background, she said.
While the garden party was a fundraising event, it was hoped it could serve to raise awareness for the organisation and its goals.
‘‘[It is] Cromwell’s best-kept secret,’’ she said.
She hoped people would take the chance to learn about and explore one of the original parts of Cromwell.
‘‘It’s something special and unique to us.’’
McNulty House is under a long-term lease to Old Cromwell Inc, which is continuing to restore the building to its original state.
‘‘We — the board and the community — have done it all up,’’ she said.
Raffles, music and food will be on offer on Saturday.
McNulty House, which is in Inniscort St, was built between 1868 and 1875 and changed hands several times before being sold to Margaret Guffie McNulty in 1935.
It remained in the McNulty family until the death of Frank McNulty in 2012, when it was bought by the Cromwell Community Board with financial assistance from the Central Lakes Trust and the Otago Community Trust.
Tickets for the event are available online.
