They discovered the Christie St property almost 10 years ago and in 2005 moved from Three Mile Hill, where they had lived since 1996.
Mr Thornley found the 12ha Abbotsford block spacious enough for his Combat Zone Paintball business and it also had a house on it, so the couple could live on site.
''It's great, exactly what we needed. We can work and live from the same place,'' he said.
The business meant Mr Thornley was ''always busy'', but never far from home.
''With paintball we have club days, public games and competitions. The number of people changes each week, depending on the time of year or if it is school holidays, but we are always busy.''
The property has been developed to incorporate three paintball fields but Mrs Thornley said it had retained its rural character.
''We are pretty isolated out here. It's great; we are still close to Dunedin so it's handy to town. It's lovely, very rural where we are and a nice community.''
Years ago, the property housed the Orchard Sun Club and then a garden centre, Mrs Thornley said.
''I think it had been vacant for a while when we bought it.''
She said the area had not changed much in the past decade.
The Thornleys planned to stay in Abbotsford and could not think of a better place to be.
''We are quite happy here,'' Mrs Thornley said.
