History of Eastwoodhill
Eastwoodhill Arboretum was the life's work of its creator, William Douglas Cook, who came to Gisborne district in 1910 to take up 250 hectares of farm land from the Ngatapa subdivision. Although Douglas Cook started out as a farmer his ambition was to plant trees and over the fifty five years spent at Eastwoodhill he estimated he brought in about 5,000 different species and cultivars of trees and shrubs to Eastwoodhill creating the largest collection of Northern Hemisphere trees and shrubs in the Southern Hemisphere.
| 1910 | Bought 250ha of farm land from the Ngatapa subdivision, which he named "Eastwoodhill" after the Miller family home in Thornliebank, near Glasgow. Flowers, orchids and woodlots were planted. |
|---|---|
| 1914 | Sent to war in Egypt and France but was injured and sent to England to recuperate. Was inspired by the beautiful parks and gardens he saw there and modelled Eastwoodhill on those he saw in England. |
| 1918 | First arboretum plantings were made, mainly woodlots and shelter belts. Poplar Avenue planted along main entrance drive. |
| 1927 | Cook began 'serious' planting of the park from about 1927 onwards, intending to collect a wide range of material. Corner Park planted up. Bill Crooks began working for Douglas Cook. |
| 1930 | Married Claire Bourne. Original homestead burnt down. |
| 1933 | Adopted Sholto Douglas Cook. |
| 1936 | Claire and Douglas Cook visit England. |
| 1934-37 | Cabin Park planted. |
| 1937 | Claire and Douglas Cook separate and Claire moves to Auckland. |
| 1945 | Douglas Park planted. |
| 1950 | Found and bought land for Pukeiti and with Russell Mathews establish Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust. |
| 1950s | Pear Park, Circus and Orchard Hill planted. |
| 1960 | Glen Douglas planted. |
| 1965 | Eastwoodhill sold to H.B. (Bill) Williams. |
| 1967 | Douglas Cook died April 27th 1967. |
| 1970 | It was decided that Eastwoodhill be established as a trust, and after considerable work, a private members bill was put to Parliament. Bob Berry (from Hackfalls) begins cataloguing the collection at Eastwoodhill. |
| 1974 | Dan and Molly Weatherall employed as farm manager. |
| 1975 | The Eastwoodhill Trust Act (1975) was passed and the Eastwoodhill Trust Board formed. |
| 1978 | Eastwoodhill awarded, 'Arboretum Distinguished for Merit' by The International Dendrology Society. The first such award by the IDS. |
| 1982 | Kevin Boyce employed as Eastwoodhill's first Curator. |
| 1984 | Formation of Garden volunteers to look after the Homestead Garden. |
| 1985 | Garry Clapperton appointed second Curator of Eastwoodhill. |
| 1991 | Douglas Cook Centre for Ornamental Plant Studies built. |
| 1992 | Gordon Collier, of Titoki Point appointed as Garden Advisor to develop planting plan for the Homestead Garden. |
| 1998 | Accommodation wing built for Douglas Cook Centre. |
| 2000 | Millennial Wood planted up for the year 2000 celebrations. |
| 2002 | Paul Wynen employed as third Curator of Eastwoodhill. |
| 2003 | Visitor Centre built to accommodate increased visitor numbers. |