Tourism venture for couple

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 253, 2 August 1988, Page 11

Tourism venture for couple

From commercial chicken farming to the tourist industry - that is the transition recently made by the new lessees of Acacia LodgeMotel. Noel and Ann Cleland formerly of Bun-

nythorpe bought the lease to the motel for 20 years. The Clelands owned a sizable poultry farm with 48,000 head of stock grown for Golden Coast, as well as milking cows and breeding stock.

They gave the business up after 25 years for the new challenge of motel management. The venture is a first for the couple who were keen to become involved in tourism. Noel Cleland said they looked around initially and were impressed with Acacia Lodge Motel. "We're very happy with it - the decor is very like what we would have done ourselves," he said. The couple are keen to encourage summer trade and will be promoting the area's facilities out of the ski

season. Two of the their children, Rowena (4) and Jennifer (6) live with them in Ohakune, where Jennifer attends primary school. Sarah (14) is a pupil at Freyberg High School in Palmerston North, while Warren (18) and

Tracey (21) live in the Manawatu area. The couple will share the responsibility of running the business. They expressed thanks to moteliers Des and Cherry Sutton who have assisted during their initial settling-in period.