Lifestyle paradise in Chatham Islands

A coastal farm and modern family home provide a chance to preserve paradise and experience pure New Zealand as it used to be.

Spanning nine titles and an incredible 363ha, Te Matarae Farm features a contemporary residence on the eastern shores of the largest island of the Chatham Islands archipelago.

Bayleys salesperson Doug McKee says the property presents a stunning lifestyle opportunity for those seeking a peaceful and close-to-nature existence with the freedom to pursue agricultural, alternative commercial and private interests.

“The property provides for a truly unique way of life and the ultimate escape as a full-time home and farm where a new owner will enjoy a varied income stream or choose to utilise the home as an adventurous holiday destination,” he says.

Situated 423 nautical miles southeast of mainland New Zealand, or a 90 minute flight from Wellington, properties on Chatham Islands’ eastern shore are some of the most spectacular, boasting breathtaking ocean views, rugged cliff lines and pristine sandy beaches.

Air Chathams provides regular services to the islands from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, with 10 aircraft transporting passengers and freight.

“Renowned for its rich biodiversity, the Chatham Islands are known for legendary wildlife, particularly a wide variety of marine species, with divers encountering seals, dolphins, sharks, and rare and endemic fish,” McKee says.

“It doesn’t get better for hunter-gatherers who will likely catch whopper blue cod, hapuka, pāua, kina and crayfish from the many rocky outcrops and sheltered bays on any given day.”

Te Matarae Farm features waterfront boundaries to both freshwater Lake Huro to the west and saltwater Te Whanga lagoon to the east, providing ample opportunity for self-sufficiency and hobby hunters.

McKee is marketing the property at 594 Te Matarae Road in Waitangi for sale by tender, closing at 4pm on Thursday, 30 November 2023.

The expansive estate is freehold and rurally zoned, providing an attractive opportunity for agricultural investments, particularly stock finishing.

“Featuring primarily flat with some gently undulating land, the farm is divided into 20 separate paddocks, all with either hotwire or outrigger electric fencing.

“It has carried 2,500 stock units of sheep, cows and calves with farm infrastructure including a wool shed, stock yards and a three bay shed with a workshop.

“Along with strong farm credentials, a family-sized four bedroom home, built in 2021 to high specifications and full code compliance certification, presents an absolute lifestyle sanctuary.

“The beautifully designed residence spans 233sq m (more or less) with expansive decking overlooking Te Whanga Lagoon, allowing residents to walk right onto their own private beach.

“It’s been well-constructed with a Coloursteel roof, ply and baton exterior and double-glazed aluminium joinery.

“Inside, the home is kept toasty and warm thanks to a log fire which is wet-backed to the hot water cylinder, heated by solar power over the summer months.

“There is also a single car garage and natural landscaping.”

In addition to its farm and lifestyle offering, Te Matarae features a covenanted conservation block of native bush.

Revenue streams to supplement farming operations are a commercial native tree nursery, farm tours and tourism initiatives, and a seismic monitoring station lease.

“Positioned near the boundary between the Pacific and the Indo-Australian Plate, the Chatham Islands possess unique geological features free from human interference, meaning they’re a logical location for government agencies and research institutes to establish seismic monitoring stations to support scientific research.

“A new owner may wish to leverage the region’s unique locational benefits by exploring similar commercial initiatives,” McKee says.

With an estimated population of around 600 permanent residents, the main centre on Chatham Island (also callalso called Rēkohu or Wharekauri) is Waitangi, a short 15 minute drive from the subject property. It features a primary school, hotel, engineering and fuel business, and a general store.

“Te Matarae Farm presents an extraordinary opportunity to purchase a remarkable property nestled in the captivating Chatham Islands – a waterfront farm of unparalleled beauty and limitless potential,” Mr McKee says.

“This is pure New Zealand the way it used to be, a haven of peace and security, offering a superb outdoor lifestyle and an idyllic location for families to have a unique experience living off the land.”

- Article supplied by Bayleys