New Zealand's single biggest farm has long been a source of particular fascination; largely because, for many years, it was virtually closed to the public.
Bill Chisholm, the long-serving manager from 1942 to 1978, wasn't big on public access; the station was largely hidden from view during those years, and was sometimes referred to as the ''kingdom in the hills''.
But Chisholm, renowned for his bluntness, rebuilt the ruined landscapes during his tenure, transforming it into a highly productive and profitable cattle station.
It had previously reverted to the Crown in 1938 when the run-holders walked off after years of low prices, poor land management practices and a lack of control over rabbits - all exacerbated by the extremes of the high-country climate - had taken their toll.
Molesworth, by Harry Broad, tells the stories of those who have contributed over the years to the station.
The book covers Chisholm, and the two subsequent managers Don Reid, and Jim Ward (and acknowledging the huge role played by their respective wives) the hard-case cook, a long-time rabbiter and even the 70-odd-year-old farrier who comes down from the North Island each year to teach the young shepherds how to shoe a horse.
History-wise, it also picks up from where Lance McCaskill's classic Molesworth, published in 1969, ended, while also retelling the story of those earlier years.
Broad's own inspiration for the book came from reading McCaskill's landmark publication and wondering what a book covering the next four decades might look like.
Illustrated with stunning photographs by Rob Suisted, the most recent Molesworth outlines how recreation and conservation are balanced with farming, with the property now administered by the Department of Conservation, with Landcorp responsible for farming operations.
Since 1987, vehicle access has been allowed during the summer months, removing some of the mystique that was Molesworth.
Spreading over a vast 180,470ha - to put that into context, it is larger than Stewart Island - it is nearly 60km long and close to that at its widest point.
Remaining a land of solitude and space, it has probably been best encapsulated by former head stockman Dan Jury.
''Words can't really describe the feeling of being down there and being a stockman on Molesworth. The scenery and the wide-open spaces, all the history and the feel of the place - the whole atmosphere, it's just pretty unreal. I loved every minute of it.''
An attractive addition to any coffee-table, Molesworth will appeal to those familiar with the high country but also those who love reading about it.
There has been a plethora of high-country books in recent times, proving the allure of the back country - the whole tussock landscape and rugged Southern Man-type image - strikes a chord with the public. And, in the case of Molesworth, it is that public that ultimately owns it.
• Sally Rae is ODT agribusiness reporter.
