Noah’s Ark Finds a New Captain in Canterbury

The Kiwi-built version of Noah’s ark has finally found its new owners. The striking timber-clad replica, perched high on Clifton Hill in Sumner, Christchurch, has sold after months of curiosity and national attention — and the buyers plan to make it their home.

Rod Cross, of New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty, confirmed that a Canterbury couple had purchased the 860-square-metre property, known locally as the Clifton Ark. While it had been marketed with a $1.5 million price tag, Cross said the final sale price would remain under wraps until settlement next month.

The couple had followed the property closely since its relaunch earlier this year, finally stepping on board when “the timing was right.”

Their plans include converting the ark’s 220-square-metre upper deck into a private residence, taking full advantage of the panoramic views across Sumner and Pegasus Bay.

Lower levels are expected to be repurposed, with one earmarked for a small theatre — a fitting twist for a building long associated with spectacle and story.

Cross said the pair also intend to share the space with a few animals. “There are definitely some pets coming with them,” he said. “I’m not sure which species yet, but it seems fitting for a property like this.”

The Clifton Ark has had a colourful history. Built in the early 2000s by Ken and Bev Loader to complement their faith-inspired attraction Gethsemane Gardens, the ark originally served as a wedding and event venue. It hosted celebrations for a decade before the Christchurch earthquakes forced its closure.

A developer acquired the site in 2013, transforming the former gardens and event centre into the high-end Gethsemane Heights subdivision.

The ark, once surrounded by three hectares of land, now sits on a smaller 1201-square-metre section within the gated community — its purpose changed but its character unmistakable.

Cross said the sale had drawn widespread public curiosity. “One of the biggest questions I’d get was, ‘Have you sold the ark yet?’ so it’s a pleasure to finally say yes.

It took someone with the right vision to see beyond its novelty and imagine it as a home.”

With its unique silhouette, rich backstory, and renewed residential zoning, the Clifton Ark will soon begin a new chapter — less biblical epic, more modern sanctuary — in one of Christchurch’s most distinctive coastal neighbourhoods.