After eleven
years of successful operation as a unique, world renowned sporting lodge,
and much soul searching, the owners have decided to offer this exclusive
estate for sale... When Mick Mason told us about it, we decided
to feature it as a sort of thumb-nail sketch in the Quarterly. Imagine
a place uncrowded and safe. With no snakes. No poisonous spiders.
No bears to interrupt your fishing. With a climate second to none,
set on a group of Islands in the South Pacific known by the Maori name,
Aotearoa. Where the people are kind and considerate. Said by
some to be the most beautiful country in the world, and by others, as “God’s
Own”.
From A Distance
No, I am not
an American, I’m a Brit – or rather I was. I am now a citizen of Aotearoa,
or as some people say – New Zealand. I arrived here, in NZ with wife and
two brand new children on a beautiful sunny winters day in 1966 on a two
year contract. I never went back to the UK. I escaped! I jumped ship, I
did a runner!
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One of the reasons
that made me decide to come to New Zealand was the Trout fishing - the
best in the world. I was a fishing fool! When my company asked if I was
interested in going to New Zealand for a couple of years, I jumped at the
chance.
I was in the
advertising business but I always dreamed of owning a fishing lodge.
That had to wait for some 20 years – I had a career path to move down.
In 1968 I set up my own shop (advertising agency) in Auckland, and
traded very successfully for close to 20 years.
In 1987
I had an offer I couldn’t refuse. The time was to move on. I did so
very reluctantly. Since leaving Art school in London this was the only
life I had known. High highs and low lows, but these can take their toll
– such is the nature of the exciting beast called advertising.
So there I
was at the age of 50 about to die of boredom when I had a chance encounter
with an old client, who reminded me of the many times I had bored him to
tears (a fisherman he wasn’t !) over my piscatorial exploits.
Why not I
thought – why not do the dream of 20 years ago and set up a fishing lodge.
Not just any old lodge - not a log cabin for the boys. A lodge that
is up there with the best in the world. A sophisticated country lodge.
Built along European Lines.
But where
?. For 12 months I travelled the length and breadth of New Zealand
looking for this dream - Bay of Islands to Queenstown, New Plymouth to
Napier. Then , one day after yet another deal fell through for one
reason or another (this one in Marlborough). I went for a drive
to cool down, west to Nelson Province and a little country town called
Motueka that someone had said had some very good fishing nearby.
Good fishing?
That was the understatement of the century – it was brilliant, the best
fishing I have ever known. Numerous crystal clear water streams and
rivers of rugged beauty and the ever sporting Brown Trout. 15 minutes by
helicopter gives you the opportunity to catch trophy fish (10lbs and
over) in the famed wilderness area of the Kahurangi National Park.
For people not interested in the gentle art of fishing, the Motueka area
has plenty of other interests…such as great walks in the national parks
– Abel Tasman, Kahurangi and Nelson lakes. Golf. 6-18 hole courses within
45 minutes.
Boutique Wineries
producing some of the finest wines you will ever taste – like the Motueka
River Lodge Chardonnay – yes, we have our own vineyard too!. Being only
15 mins. drive to the coast there are plenty of uncrowded golden sanded
beaches to explore, and the seafood that goes with that. And, if you interested
in the Arts this is the place, many internationally recognised artists,
potters/ ceramicists,wood workers and weavers live in the area.
There is also
a vibrant restaurant and café scene in the Nelson area, and talking
food –this was another attraction for Fiona and myself – the abundance
of fresh organically grown fruit and vegetables in Motueka …Man cannot
live by fishing alone! Fiona being a Cordon Bleu trained chef knows
the importance of “FRESH” to our guests. (Who are by and large
American.) Everything we serve our guests is locally grown and absolutely
fresh and seasonal – when we talk “seasonal” we mean grown locally
in season and not imported. So we look forward to the Asparagus season
…October through to January.
- Began Summer
1998 - Now with almost a half million subscribers, out eZine is the resource
that expats, and wantabe expats turn to for information. Our archives
now have thousands of articles and each month we publish another issue
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countless other media sources. Featuring International Lifestyles
~ Overseas Jobs ~ Expat Resources ~ Offshore Investments ~ Overseas
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~ Two things have ushered us into a world without borders... the end of
the cold war and the advent of the world wide web of global communications
? commerce. Ten years and over one hundred issues! We're just
getting started - Gilly Rich - Editor
Strawberries
– a long season – October through to March sometimes April… and so
it goes on
That was the
start of a long romance with a place that has been my life for the last
10 years – The Motueka River Lodge. The Best years of my life, nothing
bad has happened here – only good.
I met my second
wife here, Fiona. We had a child together –a daughter named Chloe Samantha.
Now, together
we are ready for something new, so, reluctantly we are now offering the
Motueka River Lodge for sale.
I would like
to tell you more about our 10 years at the Motueka River Lodge, but unfortunately
you will have to wait for the book. Working title “My Rod and
my Staff”
Peter Mayle
had a book in him, “A Year in Provence”, he was a copywriter, I’m
just an artist – an “Escape Artist” you might say.
“I think
every person when he or she is young, dreams of finding some enchanted
place with beautiful mountains and breathtaking coastlines and clear lakes
and amazing wildlife… most people give up because they never get to New
Zealand”
William Jefferson
Clinton
President
of the United States of America
September
1999
