Manawatu and Horowhenua

1. Visit Manawatu Gorge – one of the few places in the world where a river passes through a dividing range. The reserve straddles both sides of the Manawatu River and State Highway 3. There are three popular walks, and reserves at both ends of the Gorge offer camping and safe swimming spots.

2. Spend an afternoon at Levin Aquatic Centre – situated in the beautiful Gladys Taylor Park surrounded by palm trees, just opposite Levin’s skate park. The Centre includes four indoor pools: Main Pool, Play Pool, Teach Pool and Hydrotherapy Pool and a 70m enclosed hydro slide.

3. Spend a few hours walking the art trail in Palmerston North’s city centre – host to a multitude of artistic features including sculptures, murals, mosaics and galleries, all clustered within the city centre, within walking distance to the Visitor Information Centre in The Square.

4. Discover one of New Zealand’s largest collections of steam engines and early industrial heritage at the Tokomaru Steam Engine Museum.

5. Visit the New Zealand Rugby Museum in Palmerston North and explore the rich history and folklore of New Zealand’s national game, discovering the stories, legends and myths.

6. Spend a few hours at the Te Manawa Museum of Art, Science and Heritage in Palmerston North. The museum hosts a range of exhibitions and events, as well as an extensive collection of taonga (treasures). Children can get hands-on in one of the learning discovery spaces, meet the mysterious cave weta, or view native fish in Te Awa – The River.

Born and bred in Manawatu, Catherine Geraghty and her builder-qualified partner Edgar Caballero are the proud owners of Stonewood Homes Manawatu and Horowhenua. They pride themselves on quality workmanship, turning their client’s needs and dreams into reality and delivering on target. Regular and open communication with their clients is key for the couple, as they understand they are delivering what is usually the biggest asset their clients will have throughout their lives.

“We would rather under-promise rather than under-deliver, so we are upfront with our clients about the building process and timelines.”
– Catherine Geraghty

The couple believe that one of the strongest points of difference between Stonewood Homes and their competitors is the sheer number of house designs they are able to offer their clients. Their clients can have an architecturally designed home at an affordable price, from a small home for a retired couple, right through to a six-bedroom house for a large family.

Catherine and Edgar advise people looking to have a new home built to determine their budget and consider the top three non-negotiables for their new house – for some people this will be high-end finishes like granite benchtops, while for others it may be the inclusion of a fourth bedroom. They understand that everyone is different and unique, with their own requirements and wish list for their new home.

The couple live in Rongotea and are heavily involved in the local community, with Catherine the Treasurer of a local play centre and Edgar a member of the local Lions Club.