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The Imagination of Dreamers

  • Spectrum for 19 April 2009

    A tale in two parts from the top of the south island: Sonia Yee explores a special castle and an illuminated dance floor. Audio

Moutere Mud Castle

Preferring to keep things home-grown, Kevin and Glenys Johnstone set about building themselves a place which would become their home and their castle, literally.

Did people think they were mad? You bet!

What eventually came out of months of excruciating labour was their dream, a 'Mud Castle' in Upper Moutere, just outside of Nelson.

Glenys comes from creative genes. Her father, Peter Hart, an electrician by trade, also designed one of the first electric motors in the 1980s as a cost- effective option to run his car.

Now, he has produced at least 18 portable-illuminated dance floors. No mean feat for an 80-year-old retiree.