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Riverstone Terraces; earlier known as Craig's Flat
History
HistoryIn 1929 J T Craig, dairyman, owned a huge area north of the Hutt River between the Moonshine and Whakatiki streams; a small corner at the Whakatiki-Hutt River junction was farmed by Troup and Moore.
The area was bought by the government by the Housing Corporation, but their proposed development was dropped in the 1970s as a result of the oil crisis. M S D Spiers, who developed Totara Park, looked at it, but declined to proceed.
Access had been via the single-lane Moonshine road bridge; the construction of the State Highway 2 river road, bypassing Upper Hutt, offered improved access, thought there were safety problems in crossing the lanes.
The August 15 1989 'Leader' printed a concept plan of the proposal, which proposed 840 sections for 4500 residents, a school site, and a local shopping centre with community facilities. The December 12 1989 'Leader' announced that the city Council had approved the plan, although the Regional Council's project liaison officer Ross Jackson had recommended an extensive redesign.
In April 1991, directors of the Tang Shuo Development Co Ltd., Taipei were photographed on the site; they were proposing to develop the site with owner Dennis Ryan; they bought the site from him, and proposed a development with up to 870 houses. There was at least one public meeting held, at Maidstone Intermediate School, opposing Taiwanese involvement.
The August 31 'Leader' confirmed that contract documents had been signed for the first stage of the Taiwanese development.
Mayor Rex Kirton was photographed in September 1992, cutting a ribbon symbolising the beginning of the development, with Doctor Wu.
Peter McKenzie, manager of M and M Construction, who had been awarded the first contract for Stage 1 and a second for bulk services, was photographed checking progress in March 1993. The first 36 sections were expected to be on the open market by May 1993.
By August 30, the 36 sections were nearing completion, EnergyDirect was bringing electricity and gas across the river, and the access route from the River Road would be sealed when warmer weather arrived.
52 of the original 60 Taiwanese investors who had invested $250 000 in the project had settled in Auckland.
The January 8, 1997 'Leader' pictured the first house nearing completion.
There was a feature on the development, featuring a Homebuild show home, in the April 16, 199 'Leader'.
A fire in December 1998 threatened the development.
Malcolm Gillies, of Gillies and Mark, had acquired the property by September 1999 , after previous developments on Emerald Hill and Waitoka Estate. A picture from that September shows scrub being burnt; the name was still Craig's Flat.
The Riverstone Terrace name appeared in a full-page advertisement on October 20, 1999.
A 4-page colour advertisement stated that the first two stages of the massive development were spouting (sprouting?) houses continuously', and was printed in the 'Upper Hutt Leader' on March 8, 2000, and the inner pages were repeated on the 15th.
An advertisement in the June 5, 2013 'Upper Hutt Leader' announced the final stage; there had been eleven; now 8A, the 'dress circle' was being added, just above the confluence of the Hutt and Whakatiki Rivers. Of 1196 residential sections listed as developed (presumably by Gillies) since 1996, 528 were in Riverstone.
The area was bought by the government by the Housing Corporation, but their proposed development was dropped in the 1970s as a result of the oil crisis. M S D Spiers, who developed Totara Park, looked at it, but declined to proceed.
Access had been via the single-lane Moonshine road bridge; the construction of the State Highway 2 river road, bypassing Upper Hutt, offered improved access, thought there were safety problems in crossing the lanes.
The August 15 1989 'Leader' printed a concept plan of the proposal, which proposed 840 sections for 4500 residents, a school site, and a local shopping centre with community facilities. The December 12 1989 'Leader' announced that the city Council had approved the plan, although the Regional Council's project liaison officer Ross Jackson had recommended an extensive redesign.
In April 1991, directors of the Tang Shuo Development Co Ltd., Taipei were photographed on the site; they were proposing to develop the site with owner Dennis Ryan; they bought the site from him, and proposed a development with up to 870 houses. There was at least one public meeting held, at Maidstone Intermediate School, opposing Taiwanese involvement.
The August 31 'Leader' confirmed that contract documents had been signed for the first stage of the Taiwanese development.
Mayor Rex Kirton was photographed in September 1992, cutting a ribbon symbolising the beginning of the development, with Doctor Wu.
Peter McKenzie, manager of M and M Construction, who had been awarded the first contract for Stage 1 and a second for bulk services, was photographed checking progress in March 1993. The first 36 sections were expected to be on the open market by May 1993.
By August 30, the 36 sections were nearing completion, EnergyDirect was bringing electricity and gas across the river, and the access route from the River Road would be sealed when warmer weather arrived.
52 of the original 60 Taiwanese investors who had invested $250 000 in the project had settled in Auckland.
The January 8, 1997 'Leader' pictured the first house nearing completion.
There was a feature on the development, featuring a Homebuild show home, in the April 16, 199 'Leader'.
A fire in December 1998 threatened the development.
Malcolm Gillies, of Gillies and Mark, had acquired the property by September 1999 , after previous developments on Emerald Hill and Waitoka Estate. A picture from that September shows scrub being burnt; the name was still Craig's Flat.
The Riverstone Terrace name appeared in a full-page advertisement on October 20, 1999.
A 4-page colour advertisement stated that the first two stages of the massive development were spouting (sprouting?) houses continuously', and was printed in the 'Upper Hutt Leader' on March 8, 2000, and the inner pages were repeated on the 15th.
An advertisement in the June 5, 2013 'Upper Hutt Leader' announced the final stage; there had been eleven; now 8A, the 'dress circle' was being added, just above the confluence of the Hutt and Whakatiki Rivers. Of 1196 residential sections listed as developed (presumably by Gillies) since 1996, 528 were in Riverstone.
Location
DescriptionA housing development on a rising terrace north of the Hutt River, between the Whakatiki and Moonshine streams.Coordinates[1] Centre of the development.
Coordinates[1] Centre of the development.Details
EstablishedSeptember 1992
Also known as
Alternative NameCraig's FlatFor the yearsup to 2000
For the yearsup to 2000loading google map....
Riverstone Terraces; earlier known as Craig's Flat. Upper Hutt City Library, accessed 07/04/2026, https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/21848%20Upper%20Hutt%20City%20Library%20Heritage%20Collections