The Arapawa homestead, or Gunyah as it is also known, is the original house built in 1945 by Joe and Patty Perano as their retirement home. Refurbished in keeping wth the original 1940s character, the homestead is a fully equipped, private and cosy home-away-from-home.
Gunyah sleeps up to 14 people and includes a fold-out bed and a cot for families with a younger child.
The front bedroom is furnished with an antique walnut bedroom suite that includes a double bed with feather duvet and a single bed for an extra guest. Warm and pleasant, this room offers dramatic views of Tory Channel and the West Head. Suitable for children and visiting friends, the second bedroom contains two sets of single bunks with duvets. This room features stunning ocean views.
Gunyah's sleep-out contains a queen size bed, two sets of single bunk beds plus a shower and toilet. The sleep-out also doubles as a laundry and is equipped sinks, washing machine and clothes dryer. The sleep-out also has a spacious wooden deck that catches the afternoon sun.
The bathroom inside the house has a comfortable bath, from which you can admire an etched glass depiction of the Tory Channel entrance showing both an underwater scene and a view of whalers above the water. The bathroom has a separate toilet.
Gunyah has full amenities with all you need for a comfortable stay. The kitchen contains a number of modern appliances, including a microwave oven, fridge/freezer and bread maker, and the living area has a wood burner, a TV and a sound system to play your mobile devices from. There is an additional small fridge in the sleepout.
Guests who stay up in Gunyah can view the never-ending stream of ferries that travel past Gunyah along their route from Picton to Wellington, and vice versa. The entertainment of hearing and seeing the ferries travel past, close enough to wave out at the people on deck, is only an added bonus to the Arapawa Experience.
