Bayleys Cromwell sales consultant Gary Kirk yesterday said there had been a huge amount of interest in the Earnscleugh Station Homestead, built in 1920 by runholder Stephen Thomas Spain to plans drawn up by architect Edmund Anscombe.
He said Bayleys had 160 or 170 expressions of interest in the property, plus "68 viewings and God knows how many phone calls from all over New Zealand".
There was family interest in the sale, Mr Kirk said, and he was contacted by several people with tales to tell about the homestead and its past owners, as was the Otago Daily Times, after reporting on the sale last month.
The new owners did not want their identities known, he said.
The homestead and adjoining land was bought seven years ago by pipfruit orchardist Con van der Voort, whose daughter, Jackie van der Voort, said last month that the family was selling the building to save it, and hoped new owners would restore it.
Mr Kirk said that would be the case, with the new owners planning to spend money to restore the homestead, which has eight bedrooms, grand living areas, a snooker room, two kitchens and a swimming pool, as well as outdoor buildings that include stables.
"It will all be restored and it will be beautiful," Mr Kirk said.
- By Tracie Barrett
