An idyllic waterfront holiday home in New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park, the ultimate wilderness playground, has
been placed on the market for sale.
The property is one of only 25 privately-owned sections located within the majestic Fiordland National Park.
The traditional Kiwi bach is located in an area called Jamestown, which was founded in the 1870s on the shores of Lake
McKerrow near the bottom of the South Island’s West Coast.
Huge Government plans for Jamestown included a paper mill, ship building industry, mining operations, and 100 homes.
However, after seven years of Government procrastination - with no roads to the destination ever being built and
promised commerce never arriving - the handful of optimistic Jamestown locals abandoned their homes and headed back to
civilisation.
Over the ensuing decades virtually all of the original Jamestown structures and sections have been reclaimed by the
park’s lush podocarp rainforest.
Now the one remote remaining holiday home is being marketed for sale by tender through Bayleys Cromwell and Queenstown
offices, with tenders closing on July 20. Bayleys Cromwell salesperson Gary Kirk admitted that the property’s remote
location would make it somewhat impractical to hold open homes on a Saturday afternoon.
“By the same token, it’s utter remoteness is what makes this place so appealing”, Mr Kirk said.
The remoteness means flying in by helicopter or by your own boat from Milford at less than two hours crossing the
Martins Bay mouth. The nearby Hollyford track provides access to the Hollyford Lodge. Fixed wing aircraft landing is
also available, and is only a short boat trip down Lake McKerrow to the ‘paradise’ dwelling.
“It’s an environmentalist’s dream – and a hunter’s paradise. There’s an abundance of birdlife in the rainforest back
yard, wild deer up in the hills, and good whitebaiting at the nearby entrance to Martins Bay,” Mr Kirk said.
The charming small bach is situated on 1012 square metres of freehold waterfront land, and is powered by a diesel
generator. It has a gas stove and has been owned by generations of the current family for the past 75 years.
The three bedrooms are set up with a master and two bunk rooms – allowing for up to 12 people to sleep there – with an
open plan kitchen/dining room/lounge overlooking the front ‘lawn’ and beach.
For those who like to stay in touch with the outside world there is a SKY television dish at the property.
As well as the standard fridge/freezer unit in the kitchen and a workshop full of home handyman equipment, the holiday
residence also comes complete with its own ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio transmitter and aerial in case of
emergencies.
“The last time it sold, New Zealand was at war with Germany… and it’s one of only a handful of privately-owned dwellings
in Fiordland National Park,” Mr Kirk said.
ENDS