Creating a Legacy for the Disabled to Enjoy

For some years, my wife Robyn and I had looked for a property to establish a conservation and forestry block with a stream and medium gradient. In 2019, Robyn found such a property at 240 Ryan Road, just ninety minutes from New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, a 325 acre block with a small areas of native forest, eucalypts and pines.

It was love at first sight for the land. The farm, which was currently stocked with sheep and beef, was largely in disrepair but we were not discouraged. We felt drawn to the property, partly because of the name of the road. Ryan was our son’s name, who sadly passed in 2008, so it seemed particularly significant that we should leave our legacy on this road. We felt destined in our love affair for nature to develop this property.

Our original plan was to plant redwoods for forestry and natives for conservation. Within four years, we planted 30,000 Coast Redwoods and 50,000 native trees. Why Redwoods, you might ask? They are just a fantastic tree, and we first saw them on a drive up the California coast. Redwoods are truly impressive, massive and can live for 2000 years – now that is a legacy.

But in 2022, I received the devastating diagnosis of MND/ALS. With that news, it became apparent that there are very few places that people with MND can get access to nature outside of a car. So, as a family we decided to focus on creating such a place in nature, with tracks capable of four-wheel drive wheelchair access throughout the bush area and past the wetlands.

The Ryan Road property has a 100-year-old woolshed which is in current repair and restoration to house a resource center for those who come to work on the property and share our vision. We will provide 4-wheel drive wheelchairs to allow anyone with a disability to access the land. Plans include running open days as fund raisers for any organization that works for those disadvantaged, alongside establishing a ‘Friends of Legacy Farm’ to continue the ongoing predator control, tree maintenance and access tracks.

Our children and grandchildren are already enjoying the benefits the farm provides and spend many days (and the occasional night) taking it all in. We feel privileged to share this property for the enjoyment of all, and our children and extended families support both Robyn and me in seeing our vision of the future long after we have gone.