The Benbows would likely have made a canvas covered temporary shelter or a make-shift raupo whare close to the river within easy access to water. The month of May meant winter was fast approaching and a start would have been made immediately to get a more substantial home constructed of cob to house the family and protect their few treasures brought from home. They first lived in Georgetown close to Temuka and it became known as "sod town".  Timber was in short supply so turf was cut with a sharp spade and skinned off, was rolled and taken for use to the house site. Cut into pieces it was laid like bricks - the pieces continued to grow a little and became inter-locked. Walls were given additional strength by using sticks and any crevasses were filled with a creamy mixture of clay, fern, tussock and water. Some large cob constructions used animals to tramp the clay and tussock mixed with water added to it making a pug for use.  A water butt that harnessed water from the roof saved laborious cartage from the river and with basin and hip bath brought in a bedroom or placed before the fire, a wash centre for all. Wash-hand stands equipped with a basin and jug were kept in the bedroom.

Everything available to the family was utilised to furnish the home - the narrow bunk mattresses and bolsters which were their bedding on board ship, planks made the table, crates and packing cases as cupboards, beds and chairs and proudly displayed linen and plates in their first new Zealand home Cooking during those first weeks would have been done outside and the home likely had the kitchen chimney built as a lean-to against the back wall. Clothes were washed at the river and the first floor would have been dirt becoming hard and smooth with continual use - later it was covered with boards which could be scrubbed to remove dirt from muddy boots and rag mats were made from old woollen clothing cut in strips and knitted with cord or pulled through sacking to give a pile on one side. White-washing walls gave a clean, bright appearance.

The priority would have been a home garden so the family became self-sufficient in vegetables. One of the Benbow's  first expenses would have been a cow giving milk . The milk would be be left in a cool place for the cream to rise and be skimmed off and put in a large crock.  A churn - there were several varieties would be scalded with boiling water and rinsed in cold, and a handle turned until the cream thickened and turned into butter. The buttermilk would be drained off to be drunk or used for animals, Salt was added to the b and it was worked by hand before being made into shapes with butterpats - made possibly once a week. Mary made cheese also and she later consistantly won prizes for her skill dairy products and bacon sides at A and P shows.