- Expats bought a multi-million-dollar log cabin built with 100-year-old Canadian White Pine logs.
- The property on Pukepoto Road, Ōkaihau, attracted interest from Aucklanders and Australians.
- New owners plan to make it their permanent home after it was previously run as accommodation.
Expats have snapped up a multi-million-dollar log cabin built with 100-year-old Canadian White Pine logs.
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New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty agent Ash Boyd said the standout property on Pukepoto Road, in Ōkaihau, Far North, had attracted a huge amount of attention, especially from Aucklanders but also from Australian buyers.
“Everyone loves the owners and the charm of such a unique property like it is. It’s one-of-a-kind.”
Boyd said that most of the people who had shown interest wanted to run it as an accommodation business, but the new owners, who were returning home after a stint overseas, had bought it as their permanent home.
The cabin was crafted in Canada using Canadian White Pine logs and assembled in New Zealand. Photo / Supplied
Guests book Yellowstone Lodge for its uniqueness and tranquil location. Photo / Supplied
“That was the appeal. It's such a beautiful site, with native bush and an amazing mountain outlook, and it's so close to the Bay of Islands," he said.
Boyd declined to reveal the sale price, but the property was originally listed with a price tag of $2.55m before dropping to $2.395m, and had an RV of just under $2m.
The agent said it was "an incredible feat just to build” the six-bedroom property, adding that the replacement cost would be enormous.
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The vendors told OneRoof earlier this year that it had been built to order using 100-year-old Canadian White Pine logs.
It was carefully cut and assembled in Canada before being pulled apart and shipped in 14 containers to New Zealand. A Canadian crew then flew to New Zealand to oversee the rebuild on the 11ha site.
Vendors Julie and Nik Du Pain told OneRoof they were pleased to have sold the cabin but would "miss it terribly".
The Du Pains bought the property in 2024 after moving from Whakatāne to the Far North to be closer to Julie’s elderly parents.
It was renamed Yellowstone Lodge after being inspired by the log homes surrounding Yellowstone National Park in the US. Photo / Supplied
The lodge has three guest suites, which have their own ensuites and kitchenettes. Photo / Supplied
Julie told OneRoof earlier this year that they couldn’t believe their luck when they stumbled across the one-of-a-kind property.
Owning a log home had been on the couple's bucket list for a long time, but they hadn't expected to find one in New Zealand.
“When we saw this place for the first time, it just reminded us so much of Montana and Yellowstone Park,” she said. Nik is originally from the US, and the couple had fond memories of their time at the park about a decade earlier.
Julie said they bought it to run as a bed and breakfast and put everything they had into it. “We didn’t have a lot of money left [after buying it], so we put all our time and energy into it ourselves.”
The couple added kitchenettes to the three guest rooms and established an owner’s residence downstairs, an extra bedroom, a large lounge, a games room and a billiard room.
Their hard work paid off because within the first year the couple had hosted a raft of visitors – both local and international. The guest list included three overseas VIPs, who loved that it was in such a private spot.
However, the accommodation business closed last year, with the last guest checking out in August.
"Everybody absolutely loved the property," Julie said. "It's obviously a special place and a big place to look after. I still get calls all the time from people wanting to have a look."
- Click here to find more properties for sale in Far North
