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Caboose

Caboose

Pohangina, Manawatū-Whanganui


Caboose is an easy 15-minute drive from Ashhurst and 30 minutes from Palmerston North in the Pohangina Valley.

Climb aboard a 100-year-old New Zealand Railways guard’s van, one of the last of its kind, lovingly restored as a truly unique retreat.

Railway heritage shapes every detail inside. At one end, a queen bed sits in a cosy raised nook up a few steps. In the middle, the fireside lounge has a wood burner. The galley kitchen is handcrafted from reclaimed swamp kauri and heart rimu, with a copper benchtop and antique cast iron sink.

At the other end, the sunroom diner has a locally milled tōtara slab table and a sliding door opening onto the deck and view. Even the antique crank handle telephone still works, connecting you straight to your hosts.

Cook alfresco in the deck’s wood-fired oven, surrounded by lush gardens, ponds, 600-year-old beech trees and birdsong.

As evening falls, the valley becomes even more magical. With no light pollution to dim the view, sink into the outdoor bath beneath a sky full of stars, serenaded by a chorus of frogs and the call of the ruru.

Last updated 10 Nov 2026

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Eating and drinking near Escape

EATING AND DRINKING

Caboose is self-catering. Just bring your own food and drink, and cook meals using the induction cooktop and toaster oven in the galley kitchen, or fire up the outdoor wood-fired oven on the deck for barbecues and pizzas. You’ll find all the cutlery, crockery, pots and pans that you’ll need.

If you’d like to eat out, your hosts’ local favourites are River & Range Cafe and Gorge Quarter, both about 15 minutes away.

The nearest store for stocking up on food and supplies is the Four Square in Ashhurst, a 15-minute drive away. Riverside Orchard, on the edge of town, sells seasonal fruit and vegetables. For a bigger grocery shop, Palmerston North is 30 minutes away.

Things to do near Escape

THINGS TO DO

Begin your escape in the private gardens, tended for more than 25 years. Wander past waterlily ponds, wildflower meadows, 600-year-old black beech trees and your hosts’ sculptures. Tūī, kererū, korimako and kōtare fill the valley. For the ultimate unwind, soak in the outdoor bath under an open sky.

Just minutes away, the Pohangina River offers two beautiful swimming spots, Raumai Reserve and Tōtara Reserve Regional Park. Raumai Reserve has towering greywacke cliffs, stony beaches and a historic swing bridge, while Tōtara Reserve offers deeper swimming holes and BBQ facilities. On the nearby Ōroua River, Bartletts Ford is a more rustic, remote spot, popular for swimming and bank jumping.

Walk the two-hour Fern Walk through native forest at Tōtara Reserve, or climb the No. 1 Line Tracks for valley views. After dark, try the Pohangina Glowworms walk. On Sundays, stop for Devonshire tea at the County Fayre in Pohangina.

Your hosts at Escape

YOUR HOSTS

Your hosts at Caboose are Jen and Tim, with a little help from their dogs, Duke and Zorro.

Jen and Tim moved to this peaceful valley a decade ago to create a sanctuary where nature can flourish and people can slow down. The property blends protected ancient native beech forest with naturalistic ornamental gardens, and they’re dedicated to nurturing biodiversity and helping native flora and fauna thrive. They live as sustainably as they can, growing organic fruit and vegetables for much of the year and keeping bees for their own honey.

As designers, artists and makers, Jen and Tim have woven their creativity throughout the property, from the lovingly restored carriage to the sculptures and paintings in the gardens. Caboose is their way of sharing this hidden haven with others, while helping them continue to nurture and develop the property for the future.

Scenic coastal landscape viewed through a golden tent opening, showing lush green hillside with forest line meeting turquoise ocean waters under clear blue sky

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