“It is a particularly unique part of the country that has its own atmosphere, thanks to a landscape that includes these dramatic rock structures and, of course, that vast expanse of sky and horizon. That’s something you don’t always get in New Zealand,” Greenwood said.
The property’s rock formations and wide vistas were used by director Peter Jackson as the location of a village in Rohan.
Two buildings from the production remain on the property.
Poolburn Reservoir was created during the 1930s Great Depression to provide irrigation for farms in the Ida Valley.
The reservoir is also known for its brown trout fishing.
The property includes access to the reservoir and is located on the Old Dunstan Rd, a route established in the 1860s to connect Otago’s goldfields.
The road is accessible only between October and June and is popular with four-wheel-drive enthusiasts.
The freehold property between the Ida Valley and Maniototo is being marketed for the first time in more than 25 years.
The remaining buildings are unwarranted, although the listing says property rights are in place that could allow them to be revitalised.
“There is the potential to capitalise on that Lord of the Rings connection, something akin to the Hobbiton experience, and the site [of] the existing dwelling is an ideal lodge setting,” Greenwood said.
The property is being marketed with an asking price of $3.5 million, plus GST if any.
Greenwood said freehold properties of this scale, combining water access, landscape quality and remoteness, rarely came to market.
“It has its own special appeal for people who may seek out solitude in an increasingly noisy, busy world, and we are certainly receiving plenty of interest from such types, and from people who see investment potential here.”
Ben Tomsett is a journalist based in Dunedin. He joined the Herald in 2023.