In seconds, more than a 150 years of Canterbury history came crashing down.

The sight of the Deans family's Homebush homestead in ruins was a defining image of the September earthquake.

Several of the region's historic landmarks, which have over the years been meticulously restored and protected, may now be too damaged to save.

Bulldozers levelled the Homebush homestead, near Darfield, in November.

Jim and Louise Deans, the farm's guardians for the past 30 years, said they had no time frame for rebuilding and were still "very much in the planning stages".

"It is a terribly difficult decision to make about what sort of house should replace that lovely old one," Louise Deans said. "We couldn't do a replica of that building; it would never be the same, would it? I think we have to move on."

Allan Rhodes' Hororata Homestead has been taken down "brick by brick" to prevent large machinery damaging the 90-year-old gardens. His family is now living in a converted workshop and Rhodes hopes to have rebuilding under way within six months. He said the new house would be "in keeping" with the property's heritage, but only single storey.

Diamond Harbour's Godley House, a 130-year-old category two historic building, has remained closed after sustaining extreme structural damage to the interior and exterior.

The landmark, owned by the Christchurch City Council, was being managed by Richard and Michelle Hawes when the quake struck. Some of the worst damage was in the couple's bedroom. The bar, accommodation area and restaurant were devastated.

The Hawes are in temporary accommodation, but hope to return.

"Our dream is not finished with Godley Head yet, but if it's going to be years and years, or if [the council] just leave it sitting there until they make their decision, we can't wait around forever," Michelle Hawes said.

Council transport and greenspace manager Alan Beuzenberg said Godley House had been externally propped and supported, but its future was uncertain.

"A project manager and heritage professionals are now pulling together information on the extent of the damage, options and the likely remediation costs."

In Governors Bay, about a quarter of architect Sir Miles Warren's Ohinetahi homestead sustained damage and was "not liveable by any means". The quake collapsed four upper gables and sent stones crashing on to the building. Sections of the building will be demolished, but a council report found its structural integrity had not been affected. Ohinetahi's gardens, once a tourist attraction, will be closed until at least September.

Two good news stories last month were the reopenings of Gunyah, near Hororata, and Tai Tapu's Otahuna Lodge.

Both sustained significant damage, largely caused by collapsing chimney stacks.

The chimneys at Gunyah have been rebuilt as lightweight replicas, and have been strapped and braced. Seven chimneys above the roof line at Otahuna have been replaced with lightweight materials.

New Zealand Historic Places Trust southern general manager Malcolm Duff said the earthquake damage to historic homes varied considerably, so there was no single solution for rebuilding or reinstatement.

"Each building has to be considered on a case-by-case basis, and a range of options are available to owners."

(Source The Press)