A company linked with millionaire record producer Robert "Mutt" Lange, former husband of country music superstar Shania Twain, has bought the Crown pastoral lease of Coronet Peak Station, near Queenstown.
Efforts to rid the station of pests and encourage native bush regeneration began almost immediately after the "confidential" settlement, on July 20, Soho Property Ltd lawyer Willy Sussman, of Bell Gully, in Auckland, said on Friday.
"We're going to get rid of the noxious pests and that involves everything from feral goats to possums and wild cats. We're going to get rid of wilding trees and do it in a big way. Those are the commitments that had to be given under the consent."
Soho Property was granted consent to buy the lease on the 22,211ha high country station, off Skippers Rd, by the Overseas Investment Office (OIO), on June 27.
The vendor was Coronet Peak Station Queenstown Ltd, co-directed by Irishman Eamon Cleary. The Malta-based businessman owns commercial interests in Wakatipu and Otago and appeared as New Zealand's fourth richest man, with $2 billion, on the National Business Review rich list, published last week.
In its decision, the OIO described Coronet Peak Station as "steep and mountainous and, despite its large size, has little low country with even moderate pastoral value".
"It is also seriously degraded, has a serious feral goat problem, and has significant problems in relation to wilding trees and other unwanted plant species."
Soho Property is the lessee under three Crown pastoral leases - Glencoe Station, Mt Soho Station and Motatapu Station - which have a combined area of 33,196ha.
Coronet Peak Station is the western neighbour of Glencoe, Mt Soho and Motatapu stations and has the Shotover River as its western boundary. The station adjoins the Coronet Peak ski area.
Twain and Lange bought Motatapu and Mt Soho stations, between Arrowtown and Wanaka, for $21.4 million, in 2004.
Soho was not acquiring the parts of Coronet Peak Station which were freehold.
The OIO reported Soho intended to continue to use Coronet Peak Station mainly for general farming. About 4000 merino sheep will be farmed on areas with sustainable farming values.
Soho proposed to extend its pest and noxious plant eradication programme to Coronet Peak Station.
"Acquiring Coronet Peak Station presents a unique opportunity to minimise the risk of reinfestation by plant and animal pests through the acquisition of the significant natural boundary offered by the Shotover River," the OIO report said.
"The applicant also wishes to capitalise on eco- and adventure tourism opportunities, which go hand-in-hand with the extensive conservation work already undertaken by the applicant on its existing farming operations at Glencoe, Mt Soho and Motatapu stations."
Stacey Smith, of the US, and Thomas Stienmann, of Switzerland, are listed as Soho Property directors.
