For sale: Kiwi village
25 Jun 2010
A tiny slice of New Zealand paradise is up for sale - an entire village for a cool $1 million.
The small village of Otira (population 40), is located on the west coast of the South Island, tucked into the foothills of the Southern Alps. Now the retired Kiwi owners of Otira, which has a colourful history, are putting it on the market because they no longer have the energy to run it.
Bill and Christine Hennah, who are originally from Auckland, are in their sixties and bought the village in 1998 after falling in love with it while driving through.
"We felt sorry for the dilapidated pub and run-down houses and decided to buy," says Christine.
The couple say they would like to see Otira go to a younger couple bursting with enthusiasm and ideas.
"We need someone to build it up again. There is a lot of potential and opportunity."
Historic little town
The Hennahs are asking for NZ$350,000 for the Otira Hotel or $1 million for the entire village, which includes the school, railway station, town hall and 18 houses.
The hotel has been on the same site since the 1860s, when it was just a Cobb & Co stage-coach stop. It was turned into the Terminus Hotel in 1900 before being renamed the Otira Hotel.
Many of Otira’s houses are old railway housing that was constructed in Hamilton, in the North Island, and re-assembled in the village.
In its heyday, Otira was a base for railway and road workers who maintained the railway line and road that runs through the village.
Travellers knew they could rely on finding hot food, drinks and West Coast hospitality at the end of a trip down Otira Gorge, which cuts through Arthur's Pass.
The village population went into a steep decline in the 1990s but at the height of its popularity in the 1960s, more than 600 people lived in Otira. The town even had a hospital and women's hostel.
Otira Tunnel
The famous Otira Tunnel is an 8.5km railway tunnel that runs between the village and Arthur's Pass.
The Otira Tunnel was considered one of New Zealand’s great engineering feats because when it was opened on August 4, 1923, it was the longest tunnel in the southern hemisphere.
Visitors can still pass through the tunnel on the TranzAlpine express, a scenic passenger train described as one of the world’s greatest train rides. The 223km journey includes 19 tunnels and four viaducts.
Natural heritage
Arthur’s Pass National Park was the first national park formed in the South Island, and the third in New Zealand. It is a popular spot for tramping, skiing and mountaineering.
There are many day walks located throughout the park, but they are recommended for seasoned trampers only. The park has dry beech / tawhai forest in the east, rainforests on the western slopes, with the ‘great divide’ of snow-covered peaks and glaciers between the two.
Arthur’s Pass traverses the Southern Alps and was known to early Maori hunters as a route between the east and west coasts of the South Island.
The park’s most famous local inhabitants are the kea, a native New Zealand parrot known for its inquisitive nature.
More information
Flying Kiwis on scooters plan island crossing
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