Dark side of Gloriavale

[Lilith7]

Some years ago, when that lot were still in nth Canterbury, friends & I were out that way when we somehow managed to get lost. We saw what looked like a school so went to ask directions. Very strange experience - the bloke  who was the teacher was dressed in old fashioned clothes couldn't get rid of us fast enough & there were dozens of kids plastered to the windows, gawping at the weird people outside. Extremely strange vibes from that chap, & the whole place, & that was back when they were still known as Cooperites.

A very dodgy outfit, that lot.

was that the place off the main road near Waipara? I remember when i was younger being told stories of a commune or cult or some such living there

No it wasn't that far north, more Cust area i think.

You might be thinking of those dodgy people who were stocking up on weapons at one point - there was a huge bust eventually, think some might have done time as a result. It was concerning because some of them were in the air force if I remember rightly, they were in Waipara but can't recall the name of the group though.