It’s a rare home that’s accessed by flying fox. But that’s the main way Jane McCall and Kelly Stephens and their paying guests access the rural property at 3081 Whanganui River Road, in Parikino, Whanganui, which has hit the market for sale. The main road is on the other side of the river from the property, and the flying fox carries visitors over the river.
The only other ways to access The Flying Fox are by canoe, kayak, speed boat, or other water craft. Once over the river, visitors find themselves in a unique property. As well as the main homestead Ruru Lodge, which has a spectacular turret, there are a variety of accommodation options. That includes the James K Baxter cottage, the Riverboat cottage, Treetops studio, a tiny house called Tuī, a camp site, and a glamping tent.
Despite its rural location and isolation thanks to being cut off by the river, the property is only 45 minutes by road to Whanganui.
Since they bought The Flying Fox, McCall and Stephens have upgraded many aspects of the property. “When we bought the place, it was incredibly run down, because unfortunately one of the previous owners had died a couple of years before we bought it,” says McCall. “So we've really spent seven or eight years doing a restoration and bringing it back to modern-day safety standards.”
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As well as physical upgrades, the couple has built the business, marketing to a wide range of guests. Many of the paying guests are passing by while completing well known trails such as the Mountains to Sea mountain biking route, Te Araroa New Zealand’s Trail, a walking route covering the full length of New Zealand, and people canoeing or kayaking down the Whanganui River. Overseas tourists visit for a variety of reasons, including The Flying Fox’s eco credentials.“We deliberately made the place to cater for a very wide market,” says McCall.
The Flying Fox markets itself on sustainability, which is of growing interest to travellers. “There's a growing market of people who are looking for more eco-friendly travel options,” says McCall. “Being able to go somewhere knowing that they're not going to leave a big footprint.”
The property is located on a 12.8083ha site on the western bank of Whanganui River, which visitors use a Flying Fox cable car to cross. Photo / Supplied
The property is home to an accommodation business, which comprises wooden cabins and glamping tents. Photo / Supplied
The property, which has a 2022 RV of $830,000, is mostly off grid. Only the electricity is mixed, with one third of the electricity used coming from the national grid. The couple has an orchard and vegetable garden and has sheep and chickens for food production. A local micro climate similar to Northland allows harvesting of avocados, bananas, and a range of other produce suited to the warm climate.
McCall expects the new owners will continue the business. “We’re handing over a going concern. We want the new owners to be able to just come in and run with it. We’ve got bookings through to April already.”
The property is listed with Bayleys agent Knud Bukholt and is for sale by deadline private treaty. It has 11 bedrooms in total, six bathrooms, sits on 12.81ha of land and last sold in 2015 for $458,000.
- 3081 Whanganui River Road, in Parikino, Whanganui, is for sale by deadline private treaty
