|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
 |
|
|
|
February, 2011 International music producer Robert "Mutt" Lange will be asked to make an almost $1 million commitment to wilding pine eradication on the latest land-holding he is eyeing in the Wakatipu.Lange is the ex-husband of top-selling singer Shania Twain and producer of multimillion-selling albums for rockers AC/DC and Def Leppard. Lange and Twain, who separated in 2008, bought Motatapu Station and Mt Soho Stations in 2005 for $21.4m. In late 2009, Lange bought Glencoe Station for an undisclosed amount. The station adjoins both Motatapu and Mt Soho Stations. Coronet Peak Station could be added to the property portfolio after Lange applied to make the purchase from the Overseas Investment Office early this year. Wakatipu Wilding Conifer Control Group chairman Peter Willsman, told a Queenstown District Council community services committee meeting this month he was pleased with the level of personal commitment Lange had so far shown but would ask for a formal commitment as the sale of the station was finalised. Mr Willsman also asked that a councillor be attached to the wilding pine control group. Committee chairwoman Cath Gilmour said councillors had been gobsmacked by the extent of the exotic pest, which blocks native trees and ruins high-country land, and the committee would consider the request. After the meeting, Mr Willsman said he did not think asking for a formal commitment, through the public notification process, would put the multi-millionaire music producer off. "If he gets the sale through, we would simply ask that clearing wilding pines be part of a sale agreement," he said. "My estimate would be that it will cost about $800,000 to $900,000 to clear them. He has done great work clearing the first three properties of wilding pines and goats and is a great example of an off-shore investor who shows a real passion for the land he's acquired. There's been gangs of contractors up on those stations with sprayers and chainsaws for a long time now." Soho Property supervisor Russell Hamilton said the latest clearing effort employed a four-person team who had sprayed and chainsawed wilding pines along the Macetown Rd almost fulltime for the past six months. Source: The Southland Times
|
||
|
Queenstown Property Limited |
||
