Oruawharo Homestead is an historic homestead built in 1879 in Takapau, Central Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. It was designed by Wellington architect Charles Tringham in the Italianate style and built from native timbers for Sydney and Sophia Johnston by Sydney's father, the politician and merchant John Johnston. Johnston senior of Wellington was the original purchaser of the run in the 1850s. Sydney Johnston had the nearby Takapau township surveyed in 1876.[1]
Family members were patrons of Mother Suzanne Aubert and the homestead was given to the Catholic Church in 1965. It is currently run as a wedding venue.[2]
On 7 April 1983, was building was registered by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (now known as Heritage New Zealand) as a Category I heritage structure, with registration number 1048.[1]
The building has 21 rooms and uses rimu for many of its timber fittings.[3]