Gloriavale expands property portfolio with Lake Brunner Station purchase

Friday, 4 October 2019

A press release from when Lake Brunner Station went on the market in 2008 describes it as a 'trophy' property in one of New Zealand's most picturesque locations.

The Gloriavale Christian Community is expanding into another large lakefront property on the West Coast.

About 600 members live together on rural land the banks of Lake Haupiri, about 60km from Greymouth. The community operates as a charitable trust and according to Charities Services had assets of $36.4 million at the end of July 2018.

The Gloriavale Christian Community has outgrown its site at Haupiri on the West Coast.

Stuff understands the community has now bought Lake Brunner Station, which has been for sale for at least 10 years. The station is about 59km, or an hour's drive, from Haupiri.

Leader Howard Temple confirmed the purchase of a new property to the Greymouth Star. Interview requests by Stuff were declined.

A family of nine that fled Gloriavale says the Christian community tried to separate their family to control them.

* Former Glorivale family slowly adapting to life outside the community

Gloriavale runs several farms and businesses, including honey production, trophy hunting, health food supplements and sphagnum moss.

* Men kicked out of Gloriavale for using a cellphone, source close to the sect claims**

Former leader Neville Cooper, known as Hopeful Christian, founded the community in Springbank near Christchurch in 1969 and moved to Haupiri when it outgrew the site in 1991.

About 600 Gloriavale members live together on rural land the banks of Lake Haupiri, about 60km from Greymouth.

Gloriavale runs several farms and businesses, including honey production, trophy hunting, health food supplements and sphagnum moss.

The community's 2018 annual report shows it owns land worth $9.5 million. It received $304,000 in donations and $2.4m in education grants.

Sources told Stuff the community bought the property for future expansion because it had run out of space at Haupiri.

Lake Brunner Station was sold by the Auckland-based Turner family, which bought the property in 1995. A press release from when the farm went on the market in 2008 described it as a 'trophy' property in one of New Zealand's most picturesque locations.

It said the property was 2365ha, including a large cattle farm, plantations of exotic timber, native forest and extensive frontage on Lake Brunner – the West Coast's largest lake.

The release said the property had 1150ha of indigenous forest and consent for the construction of tourism lodges.

Lake Brunner Station is approximately 25km inland from Greymouth and 200km from Christchurch. In 2008, the Turner family were asking for offers around $15m.

The Turners could not be reached for comment.