Historic Hayes

Marvel at the workshop and homestead of inventor Ernest and his wife Hannah Hayes, 19th-century pioneers whose resourcefulness, skill, and determination define the spirit of "kiwi ingenuity". Hayes products are used throughout the world today.

Ernest Hayes was the original Kiwi innovator, backyard boffin and all-round No 8 wire Einstein. The Hayes complex, which includes stables and a dairy in addition to the works and homestead, is set well back from the Ida Valley-Omakau Rd, backdropped by low hills. As hubs of industry go, it’s very pastoral. Rail-trailers, who in recent years have adopted the site as a prime stop on the multi-day cycling route, often describe it as an oasis.