Interview: Julz & Mark from Lochend Woolshed Venue
Lochend Woolshed is a new venue here in Dunedin. Located a short drive along Tomahawk Road, this refurbished woolshed sitting in a stunning green pasture, overlooking Tomahawk Lagoon might just be the place you've been looking for. With inspiration taken from Central Otago, combined with a rustic feel, this really is the place to be. The ability to comfortably hold 120 people with dining, dancing, and partying capacity, Lochend Woolshed is great for weddings, corporate, and any other gathering you can think of. We sat down with the owners, Julz and Mark Caldwell to find out a little bit more about the history of the venue and how they turned it into the modern, upmarket woolshed it is today.
Follow along
Instagram: @lochendwoolshed
Website: www.lochendwoolshed.co.nz
Facebook: Lochend Woolshed
How did the idea of opening a venue space in Dunedin come about?
Once we got the farm, we thought it was quite a unique place. We had quite a few friends who had been to weddings up in Central Otago as there wasn’t too much of a selection in Dunedin. And the venues that are here were often booked out. So we thought, why not give it a go here?
What clients does Lochend cater to?
Lochend caters to a diverse range, including weddings and corporate clientele. As weddings often book their dates so far in advance during the summer period, we find that our winter calendar hosts a lot more corporate events. A lot of people are looking for something old and rustic that also has a story behind it.
What makes Lochend Woolshed unique?
You can’t really replicate the history and the outdoor space here at Lochend.
Tell us about three things that you love about your venue space?
We love that it is so close to the city, and that there is so much room in the venue. Another thing is how we’ve used lots of recycled wood to create elements of the venue. For example, the grating under the bar is from the original woolshed, and the balustrade outside is the old grating. All the tables and bathroom basins are made from old macro that has been milled on our property, and dressed up by Mark.
We love that everything we’ve done is reused and recycled.
Can you tell us about the history of the property and what it has been used for in the past?
The farm was first named Lochend Farm by the early original settlers in the 1850’s. At that stage it was a lot of bush land, so they cleared all of the shrubbery and farmed crops. It turned into a dairy farm in the late 1800’s supplying the region of Dunedin, and our building was originally a cow byre. From there, it went through various stages through the different owners but when we took over it 4.5 years ago it was a sheep farm, and this was the woolshed.
What business and/or personal lessons have you learnt, launching and running an events business?
The personal relationship’s and the people element of this business is great, and we find that the paperwork is the harder aspect. Learning to document each part of the process has definitely been a learning curve. We love meeting everybody. We love when they come to see the venue and we are able to tell them the story of it. There have been some really cool people.
Talk us through the design process of the Woolshed, from staple decisions to the small design facets? Where did your inspiration come from?
We had the basic shell of the reception and bar area, so it was just about coming up with the plan of the toilet and kitchen block. We wanted to keep it as simple as possible so we weren't taking away any of the heritage features because it is a beautiful old building as it is.
From the start we had said concrete, wood and brick. We looked at the space and we knew that we could seat 120 people in the reception area, and the bar space had plenty of room for everyone.
What is the best thing about owning a business with your significant other? What is the most challenging?
The best thing is the time you get to hang out and work on projects together. You learn to work through different disagreements about ideas together and it gives us the freedom and opportunity to go and watch the kids play sports mid-week if we want to.
How do you find having the venue on your property? Does it enhance family life or challenge it?
Both I suppose. The good thing is that it’s right here if people want to come and have a look, and you can just show people around. It’s great for the kids and they help out lots - especially on Saturday mornings.
The challenging aspect is, it doesn't go away. There are always lots and lots of emails.
What is next for Lochend?
This coming season (November - April) is our first official season, so we are excited to get into it and see what we can learn!
Studio: Acorn Studio Photos of Julz & Mark
Lochend Venue Photos: Acorn Studio
DJ, Sound, Lighting ( Uplight’s & Festoons): Gravity Events