Harold Thomas, with Nat Playne and Ross Miller, was instrumental in bulldozing through Spencer Rd to give access to the western end of Lake Tarawera.
"The land was covered in scrub, and my grandfather, who lived in Auckland, had it broken in after he bought it in 1946, and put a manager on to farm it," Mr Stewart said.
The sheep were taken off in the mid-1970s and replaced with pine, which were harvested in 1998, he said.
Around 20,000 native seedlings were planted in 2000 to replace the pines.
The east-facing block bordered farmland and is zoned bush settlement.
It now contains pittosporum, kanuka, manuka, ake ake and regenerated native bush, together with four cleared building sites looking out over the lake and Mt Tarawera.
"The land has been enjoyed by three generations of the family," Mr Stewart said. "We have discussed subdividing and developing it but consider the best option to sell it as one parcel of land.
"We have cleared four building sites averaging 2000sq m, and there is potential for up to eight building sites on the property."
A 6km-long bush track had been cleared for walking, and could be developed further for mountain biking or jogging.
Two streams draining into Lake Tarawera with deep gullies bisecting the property provided a haven for native birdlife.
Access to the Lake Okareka headwaters is a 15-minute walk behind the property.
It was envisaged any buyer would build to enjoy the lake views, together with the abundant native fauna and flora, Mr Stewart said.
More details and photos here
