You can’t beat a yarn with a bit of coincidence - and maybe a touch of fate. And this one has both.

More than a century apart, two Scottish lasses fell in love with men from the same family and ended up calling Centrewood Estate home. And it all began with the toss of a coin.

Back in 1871, Nova Scotia native Alpheus Hayes stood on the docks in Glasgow, unsure whether to return home or try his luck in New Zealand.

He tossed a coin. New Zealand won.

In this Imports interview we catch up with Jo Sutherland - project manager behind The Waimate Trail, mum to Jack and Lily, and wife of Johnny, the great-great-grandson of Alpheus Hayes.

The Sutherland family - Johnny, Lily, Jo and Jack.

Built for Anna

The fateful coin toss led Alpheus to board the Wild Deer, bound for Port Chalmers. Somewhere between Scotland and Otago, on the three-month voyage, he met Anna Groves from Inverness, Scotland.

By the time they stepped ashore, their futures were tied together. He promised that one day he would build her a beautiful house with an extensive garden - and Centrewood is the result of that promise.

During construction in 1891, kilns were built near the site to fire the 250,000 bricks needed for the triple-brick exterior and double-brick interior walls.

A lake was dug by hand and gardens planted with rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, maples, roses and magnolias that still flower today in amazing colours.

Johnny and Jo are the fifth generation to call Centrewood home.

Top: Beautiful Centrewood. The homestead has a distinctly French decorative style.

Bottom: Some of Alpheus Hayes’ original books, still sitting on the shelves at Centrewood.

Born into the Toon Army

Jo was born in Scotland and grew up in the Scottish Borders on a beef and cropping farm.

“Mum’s a Geordie,” Jo says. “She’s from Newcastle and is a fanatical Toon Army supporter.”

Football runs in the family. Jo’s great-grandfather Stan Seymour played for and managed Newcastle United, and is regarded as one of the all time greats. He was the first person to win the FA Cup with the same club as both a player (1924) and a manager (1951, 1952). He scored 73 goals in 242 appearances!

Her grandfather, also Stan Seymour, later served as Chair of the club.

While Jo doesn’t watch a lot of football here, she does when she’s home and has spent plenty of time at St James’ Park over the years.

“The kids love it. Jack wears his Toon Army top with pride.”

Left: Jo back home supporting Newcastle United at St James’ Park. Right “Mr Newcastle” Stan Seymour memorialised at St James’ Park, Jo’s mum Carol Calder (Seymour), daughter Lily and Jo.

From farm girl to fashion

Jo was brought up “in the middle of nowhere”. The nearest town, Cornhill-on-Tweed, was “even smaller than Waimate”.

“We got stuck in,” she laughs. “Harvest time, farm jobs - although I was probably the one stalling the tractor and getting distracted with a book or sunbathing.
“Back in the day we had workers on the farm. They had kids, and that was our community.”

She laughs describing the hours they played ‘goose chase’ - one team on bikes chasing the other team on foot, tearing around the farm.

“It sounds unbalanced,” Jo says, “but feet could go places that bikes couldn’t.”

She still describes herself as “a rural girl at heart - but I love the city too”.

Jo studied fashion design at university and went on to design lingerie for the Burton Group in London, before moving into sales and marketing, working with buyers for department stores including Harrods and Harvey Nichols.

She later moved into catering and corporate events in Edinburgh, producing large-scale themed functions.

Then she did what many twenty-somethings do - packed a bag and headed off on a two-year working visa to Australia and New Zealand - via Africa, India, Nepal and Thailand.

Meeting the parents

The first time she visited Centrewood, she hadn’t met Johnny yet and he wasn’t even there. Jo had no idea it would one day be her home.

Her family in Scotland were good friends with Johnny’s aunty, so when Jo and her sister Koren were travelling through New Zealand, they called in, helped out in the yards and had a great time in Waimate.

In some ways, it was a great way to avoid that awkward first ‘meet the parents’ moment!

A young Scottish traveller getting to work in the yards on her first visit to Centrewood.

Fashionably late for Johnny

Johnny and Jo first met in Queenstown. They arranged to meet for a drink at The Red Rock. Jo was an hour late, but she had a good excuse, she laughs - she’d driven all the way there from Auckland!

Fortunately, Johnny thought she was worth waiting for.

They married in Scotland, spent a short stint back in Queenstown, then returned to Waimate to raise their family at the homestead built by Johnny’s great-great-grandfather for the Scottish girl he met at sea.

More than 22 years later, they’re still here.

A lovely photo of a very Scottish wedding - Johnny and Jo on their wedding day.

Making things happen

“What I love most about living here is the strong sense of connection,” Jo says. “People take the time to stop and chat, support local initiatives, and show up for one another.”

Jo doesn’t just show up - she rolls up her sleeves and makes things happen.

Centrewood has been the backdrop for some memorable events over the years, including a James Bond night complete with a helicopter, Aston Martin and a motorbike chase. There have been Whacky Races on the lawn, hobby horses and bookies included. The Centrewood Fete ran for eight years. Plenty of fun - and plenty of funds raised for local causes.

She’s coached hockey, chaired the PTA, run workshops and Airbnb ventures at Centrewood, and even launched the first luxury loo business in New Zealand, along with wedding events and marquees.

“Connecting people is one thing I love - bringing people together.”

Through her work with Waimate2gether she’s been instrumental in the redevelopment of Centrewood Park, including the viewing platforms, which is home to the iconic whitehorse on the hill. Now she’s turned her attention to The Waimate Trail - Te Ara Waimatemate.

Ready for a night of action - the James Bond fundraising event.

Still choosing here

“The lifestyle here is hard to beat,” she says. “Beautiful walking and cycling tracks right on your doorstep. Saturday mornings at the farmers’ market are a highlight - fresh produce, friendly faces, that relaxed small-town atmosphere.”

She loves the wide streets and old buildings, the murals, the art gallery, the creativity running through the town.

There’s always something happening - school events, sport, fundraisers, community projects.

But for her, it’s the people that matter most.

Being surrounded by friends, family, and a genuinely friendly community creates a feeling of belonging that’s “incredibly special”.

And she’s here because, 155 years ago, New Zealand was chosen by the toss of a coin - and another Scottish girl is still choosing to call it home.

Jo Sutherland