Hundreds keen for lodge giveaway

German businessman Karl Reipen plans to give away his lodge on the slopes of Mt Taranaki to a charity group. Photo / Mark Mitchell

A Taranaki businessman's proposal to give away a historic 10-bedroom lodge on the slopes of Mt Taranaki has drawn almost 300 submissions from New Zealand and overseas.

Karl Reipen, who made his fortune in Germany selling iced coffee drinks, bought the Stratford Mountain House in 2008 for about $1 million. He spent a further $1m refurbishing it to attract wealthy visitors from Europe and Asia, the Taranaki Daily News reported.

However, following a recent quadruple heart bypass, Mr Reipen said he had reconsidered his priorities - and issued a request for submissions from charity groups which could put the lodge to good use.

Originally from in Germany, Mr Reipen owns a 1300-hectare station in Awakino in North Taranaki, where he grows grapes and breeds horses.

Mr Reipen's spokesman, Rob Tucker, said Mr Reipen's offer had attracted nearly 300 proposals from individuals, artists, charities and trusts.

"There are a lot of good people out there doing a lot of good things," he said.

Mr Reipen's doctor had told him to de-stress his life, and the Mountain House was causing him stress.

"He was going to leave it to the people of New Zealand in his will, so he may as well give it away while he is alive."

Mr Tucker said a working group including representatives from Department of Conservation, Venture Taranaki and iwi hoped to narrow the submissions down to 10 finalists when they met on January 23.

- NZPA