Pleasant Valley is a small locality near the town of Geraldine. The area is boarded by the Geraldine Downs to the north and Gapes Valley to the south. The Hae Hae Te Moana River runs through the valley.
Originally Pleasant Valley was part of the Raukapuka estate, farmed by Alfred Cox. The region grew with the rise of the timber industry and was up until the 1880s larger than nearby Geraldine. In its heyday the valley was home to a blacksmith, innkeepers, a joiner and merchants amongst others, all of which have long left. The school was original built in 1875 though moved, then destroyed by flood in 1868 and celebrated 85 years in 1960. The school still stands today. The area was also held a number of horse races.
The Pleasant Valley Hall was built in 1922. Learn more
The Geraldine Cheese, Butter and Bacon Factory, built in 1884, is the oldest existing dairy factory in New Zealand. The factory was closed but subsequently reopened several times finally ceasing production in 1959 as the Geraldine Co-operative Dairy Company. The factory still stands today as a Heritage New Zealand (NZHPT) Category II Heritage Building on private land.
St. Anne's Church, built in 1863, is the oldest church in South Canterbury and one of the oldest in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Christchurch. NZHPT Category II Heritage Building. Parson Brown was holding services in homes, sheds, and outdoors and they needed a church. Mr Grace donated half an acre of land and supplied all the timber for the building. Mr Hardcastle undertook to raise the balanced of the money needed to supplement the 200 pounds given by the Canterbury Provincials Council. St Anne's was built and the first service was held in February 1863. A dance was held in the Church on the Saturday night before. The church which was constructed with local timber, and includes a stained glass window made by Veronica Whall. Church services are still held at the church and it celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2013. The timber used in the building being matai, kahikatea and totora was felled from the bush behind the church. Originally the roof was of totora shingles. The inside timber rafters and pews still bear the marks of the pitsaw and adze whilst the interior walls are the original clay and tussock pug. The baptismal font and lectern are of excellent workmanship. The work all voluntary by the early settlers including John Huffey. Rev. R. [Bob] Lowe. Posted on the outer door of the church in the 1970s. - The quaint churchyard allows their stories to be kept alive, even though the characters have gone. Learn more here