Our 16.8ha lifestyle/bush lot lies approximately 30kms south of Tauranga off a loose metal road winding around the slopes of the Western Bay of Plenty's highest point, Otanewainuku. Half the land area is covered in native bush with steep gorges and a small stream (8.5ha), the remainder with flat to easy undulating contour planted in Eucalyptus (6ha) or used for buildings and access. The dwelling was constructed in the autumn of 2005 and separate accomodation/workspace retained in an existing 13 year-old pole-house about 60m away. This unique property combines a spacious, modern family home, sufficient and manageable grazing, and attractive native bush. It is a haven away from the noise, heat, pollution and sprays in the orchards and towns below, but still close to 21st century amenities and the wonderful Bay of Plenty.

The property sits in the Otanewainuku Ecological District on the Northern Mamaku Plateau surrounded by bush, commercial forestry and pastoral dry-stock cattle, deer, and sheep operations. The area is a ignimbrite plateau sloping roughly north, between 300 and 600 metres above sea level, cut by deep gorges containing shallow, rapid, and cold streams. Much of the original podocap forest was logged in the early 20th century to finance the development of the land, although several tracts of the original cover remain protecting water catchments for the coastal towns. The natural tree cover is mostly emergent rimu over a middle tier of tawa, rewarewa and kamahi. In addition to the many protected natural areas managed by the Department of Conservation the conservation of private land also forms an important reservoir of habitats and corridors for fauna and flora, and several of New Zealand's critically endangered species are found locally. In recent years successful pest management programmes in and around the State Forest have allowed the release of North Island Brown Kiwi as part of a strategy to initiate the recovery of this endangered species. Several walks through the forest start from the Rotary Club walking hut in Mountain Road.

The completion of the first stage of the TECT All-Terrain Park is sure to encourage more lovers of the outdoors to come and enjoy this special area. This purpose-built development is a celebration of the region’s greatest jewel and comprises of over 1,600 hectares of uninhabited wilderness. It has the potential to place the Bay of Plenty as one of the country’s premier venues for outdoor recreation, and will to host events such as motocross, rallying, trial bikes, mountain biking, target shooting, 4x4 quad bikes, drag racing, firearm sports, husky dog sledding, archery, tramping, orienteering, and equestrian events.

Use the links to learn more about the property. See for yourself and stay in our homestay cottage.