Totara Estate’s A Day of Many Things, might be just the thing for you and/or your family next Sunday (January 14).

The historic farm just south of Ōamaru, on State Highway 1, is offering a family fun day to keep both adults and children occupied from 12noon to 4pm.

Totara Estate property lead Jacqui Allison said there will be a number of different traditional games such as boat racing, skittles and a tug of war. 

People also have a chance to try knitting and darning clothes.

“The kids really, really get into the tug of war, which we run in our pig pen. So it goes the whole length of the pig pen. It's a huge tug of war,” she said.

There will also be vintage machinery dating back to the 1920s to look at, sheep to feed, and Victorian garb to dress-up in.

Food in the form of tea and scones, along with ice creams and cold drinks will be up for offer.

The event runs annually and entry is free for under 18s, and $12 for adults.

People who come along can still tour the farm as per usual, and resident gardener Alison Albiston will also be on site.

“So they can wander through the garden and ask her lots of questions,” Jacqui said.

“We'll have a blackboard out basically, which tells you where those kind of main events happen that you need to be present for, but it's very much like a mill-about kind of day . . .  there's things happening everywhere that you can partake in.”

Totara Estate was built in 1868 and the farm is where the first shipment of New Zealand frozen meat originated from in 1882, before heading to the United Kingdom.

“It very much changed our country, and actually was largely the reason that Ōamaru exists,”” Jacqui said.

“It didn't exist before this place . . . and if you're ever talking about our buildings, they're not Ōamaru stone, it's Totara stone, because Ōamaru didn't exist when they were built.”