74 | DEVELOPMENT Oturoa Vista TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE. INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS. Property - Commercial, Residential & Rural Conveyancing | Subdivisions Business Acquisitions & Sales | Commercial & Company Law Relationship Property | Estates & Trusts | Wills Ecological Restoration Revegetation and Planting Environmental Farm Planning Weed and Pest Control Wetlands Sustainable Land Management Outstanding Ecological Services to sustain and improve our environments www.wildlands.co.nz 0508 WILDNZ Creating a lifestyle community Oturoa Vista has been developed in stages, with strong progress already achieved. T T Kelly Deeks Oturoa Vista is creating a new lifestyle community on a rolling hillside overlooking Lake Rotorua, while supporting the long-term future of a fifth-generation dairy farming operation. The 40-hectare development at Hamurana has been carefully integrated into the wider Oturoa Farm, allowing the family to diversify its land use while continuing dairy farming on the remaining property. Project manager Doug Dibley says the subdivision forms part of a long-term strategy to ensure the farm remains sustainable for future generations. “We operate in a sensitive catchment and have had to consider nitrogen reductions and changing land use requirements,” he says. “The subdivision allows us to diversify while retaining the farming operation. We have incredible views across Lake Rotorua to Mount Ngongotaha and Mount Tarawera, and it made sense to create an opportunity for others to enjoy that environment as well.” Oturoa Vista has been developed in stages, with strong progress already achieved. Stage One comprises 16 sections, with 14 already sold. Stage Two includes a further 17 sites, with the first nine sections now available and the remaining lots expected to come to market within six to 12 months. When complete, the development will comprise 33 lifestyle sections ranging from approximately 7940sqm to 2.18ha. Doug, who returned to the family business after a corporate career focused on dairy operations and sustainability, has overseen the project for the past four years while working closely with Bayleys on sales and marketing, and also actively sharemilking on the farm. “I’ve always enjoyed working with people and this project has allowed me to combine that with supporting the family’s transition into the next chapter of the farm,” he says. One of the defining features of Oturoa Vista is its emphasis on environmental stewardship. More than 20ha of gullies and steep terrain have been planted in native vegetation, with the family growing all the plants themselves. A network of walking tracks weaves through the restored gullies, creating opportunities for residents to enjoy the area’s natural biodiversity. “As farmers, we see ourselves as custodians of the land,” Doug says. “We want to leave it in a better condition than we found it. Those gully areas were not suitable for productive farming, so native planting was the logical solution. It creates biodiversity, improves the landscape, and adds real value for future residents.” The development has also been designed to create a high-quality lifestyle environment. Features include post and rail fencing, hot mix roads and generous section sizes that provide privacy without creating excessive maintenance requirements. Doug says a strong community is already emerging, with multiple homes completed and others under construction. “There are already about 30 children connected to the families who have purchased sections, so we’re seeing the foundations of a really vibrant community being established.” While recent economic uncertainty has created challenges across the property market, Doug remains confident about the development’s future. “We’ve seen a few years of volatility with interest rates, inflation, and wider global uncertainty, but Rotorua has a steady market, and we’re pleased with how sales have progressed,” he says. “This is a legacy project for our family. We are focused on doing it properly and creating something that will benefit both residents and the land for generations to come.”
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