PARADISE FOUND
This huge section has been a prized possession for 155 years,
Passed from one pioneer to another with the pioneering spirit, this tightly held land has had only two owners since it was first settled by the Medland family 155 years ago.
Thomas Medland was one of the first settlers on the east side of Great Barrier Island in 1865 and it was the east coast aspect that drew dairy farmer David Eugene Hill here 50 years ago. He had been a dairy farmer in Whakamaru in the Waikato when a hankering for something near the coast brought him first to Auckland’s North Shore and then to the Barrier.
In 1969/70, David and his wife Lotus bought 275 ha of land from Thomas’ descendant George Medland and set about living their life of selfsufficiency and committed guardianship of the land. Now, the last 51.98 ha block from that land is on the market. Its sale, as part of the D E Hill Estate, by the three family descendants of David’s late siblings follows the earlier sale of the house, orchards and vegetable gardens and David’s dry stock farm.
For two of David’s nephews, John Seager and Paul Best, it is their memories of their uncle and aunt that are much stronger than memories of this part of the property. Rather, they got to know “Uncle Dave” when he was in Auckland, fronting up to council authorities on matters affecting the Great Barrier Island community.
Paul Best remembers his uncle as an independent man with an eye on self-sufficiency. “He was a conservationist. He loved the country and this property gave him the chance to do that.” In Auckland David stayed with his sisters, which
“He was at peace with mankind, the bush and the big kauri trees he loved here.”
was how everyone got to know him as a great story teller too.
Both Paul and John describe David as “a bush lawyer”. David was a medic during World War 2. “He was a humanitarian,” says John. “He always tried to do right by people and do his best to look after this property. He was quite a brilliant man, a self-taught man. He was at peace with mankind, the bush and the big kauri trees he loved here.”
This last site includes still more native bush, an adjoining stream, some pasture, elevated areas and many potential building sites.
Barfoot and Thompson agent Nadja Court says: “The owners have considered potential subdivision options with this title and have engaged a surveyor and other specialist consultants to consider possible options in this regard..” Auction: September 17 Contact: Nadja Court, Barfoot and Thompson, 021 777 690