A plethora of books documenting station life has been released in recent years, and all have sold well, proving the appeal of such a landscape, and the stories of its inhabitants, is enduring.
In this latest addition to the stable, Matt Philip has done a fine job of telling the story of the Murray family, who have farmed Glenmore Station, on the western side of Lake Tekapo, for the past 100 years.
The Murrays epitomise the typical New Zealand high-country family - hard working, determined and increasingly innovative as they grapple with the realities of continuing to make the high country viable.
Current runholders Will and Emily are raising the fifth generation to live on the property, having taken over from Will's parents, Jim and Anne, who have retired to Wanaka.
While still very much involved with major events on the station calendar, such as the autumn muster and shearing, Jim Murray found leaving the property a huge wrench. He was barely out of his teens when he found himself at the helm of Glenmore following his father's death.
That same year,
a big snow killed half the station's sheep flock. Rating it as having the single biggest impact on his farming life, it took him seven years to farm his way out of it.
But, in hindsight, he believed the disaster was the making of his success at Glenmore, giving him the confidence to ''do anything''.
Jim and Anne Murray were founding investors in pioneering merino clothing company Icebreaker, with Mr Murray serving on the company's board.
He was also involved with the establishment of breakaway organisation New Zealand Merino.
Now it is the turn of the next generation to put their stamp on Glenmore and add some more chapters to its story.
• Sally Rae is ODT agribusiness reporter.
