The White Swan Hotel actually began life as a New Zealand Railways administration block at the Woburn railyard in Lower Hutt. At its 1970s peak there were over a thousand men working at Woburn, but little did they know that this big wooden building would one day be a country pub.
In December 2002 the building was relocated over the Rimutaka Ranges in six pieces on the back of a few very large trucks. One of the six pieces almost didn’t make it, skewing off the back off its truck and teetering on the edge of the hill, closing the road for eight hours.
Needless to say this rogue piece was rescued from oblivion and all six pieces that started the journey were carefully pieced back together and fully restored to create the magnificent hotel that now takes pride of place on the 125 year old Main Street of Greytown.