A piece of paradise with potential aplenty

Galatea lodge lends itself to the true traditions of hunting and fishing. Photo / Supplied

Galatea Country Lodge Estate, fronting Lake Aniwhenua at Galatea near the Urewera National Park, is being offered for sale with consent to build 21 chalets and the potential to be developed into a tourist lodge offering some of the best hunting and fishing in New Zealand.

"This property is ripe for development but the vendors require a sale before Christmas," says Paul Sanford, special project commercial specialist with Harcourts Wakelin Real Estate in Rotorua.

The Country Lodge Estate on two separate titles of freehold land totalling 4.7418ha is being offered for sale with its outbuildings situated in an idyllic setting, with the estate's front lawn sweeping down to Lake Aniwhenua.

"It is located within easy driving distance from Rotorua, Whakatane and Taupo and only three hours from Hamilton," Sanford says. "Being located on the shores of Aniwhenua and close to the Te Urewera National Park, the estate offers great fishing and hunting opportunities.

"A variety of waterfowl inhabit the natural wetlands on the estate's doorstep with all year round lake activities including trout fishing, water skiing and boating from the estate's own boat ramp on the property.

"This is a place of peace and tranquillity where sounds of silence are only punctuated by the call of the herons, the soft splash of rising trout and the chink of ice in a glass," Sanford says.

Sanford says the major feature of the Lot 1 title of some 8737sq m is the original Grant Homestead built around 1912.

The building consists of a large 200sq m five-bedroom villa with a modern kitchen, family room with slow combustion fireplace and a separate lounge with open fireplace and games room. A feature of the house is its 50m verandah. The property, located on a promontory into the lake called Heron Point, also has a number of ancillary buildings including a 51sq m carport, garage-workshop, garden shed and new large implement shed with a partially completed flat attached to it.

"The villa is currently used for private accommodation but could be redeveloped, keeping in mind its historic nature, into an exclusive lodge for fishing, hunting, or just health and relaxation.

"The trout fishing is available to owners or guests year round with no seasonal closure of the lake which has good-sized rainbow and brown trout. The lake is naturally stocked and has produced fish over 12lb and there is excellent river fishing nearby.

"The area also offers excellent deer, pig and pheasant hunting along with duck shooting in season."

Sanford says the villa and its site could also be redeveloped as a wedding venue or into an exclusive restaurant.

The second title designated as Lot 2 is a larger piece of land of 3.867ha with a small fishing lodge which at present is rented to an overseas tenant. This land also fronts the lake and has potential to be used for grazing or cropping or some other agricultural or horticultural purpose."

"The whole property has been granted a land use consent for the construction and operation of 21 chalets which is effective until August 2010," Sanford says.

"Effectively the subdivision consent, which parallels the land use consent, will permit each of the 21 chalets to be held in a separate freehold title and constructed in two stages. In total therefore 23 titles will result."

Sanford says the whole property is fed by natural spring water from an artesian well.

Harcourts will be proceeding with a tender programme due to close in early November and will be asking for tenders for the whole site or parts thereof.

"It is possible that the Galatea Country Lodge may be split up allowing for a variety of tenders to be tabled," says Sanford.