Macalister Todd Phillips solicitors Tanya Surrey and Rohan McKenzie have, during the past seven months, searched for the descendants of pioneers Rebecca and George Bond, and 17 other registered owners of abandoned land, on behalf of the Queenstown Lakes District Council for referral to the Public Trust.
A Tauranga man telephoned Ms Surrey about a week after an Otago Daily Times article on the Bond family and Mactodd's search was published on January 31.
The man said his great-grandmother was Rebecca Bond and his grandmother was one of Mrs Bond's five daughters.
"At this stage, it seems to be a genuine response and he was very interested to hear [the land] was still in his great-grandmother's name," Ms Surrey said.
"He's going to speak to his wider family and collate a more detailed family tree and get back to me.
"We're very pleased to hear from someone . . ."
The 456sq m parcel of land in the Cardrona Valley is still registered in the name of Mrs Bond, with title issued in the late 1880s.
It is believed to be within about 150m south of the Cardrona Hotel.
The Bond land claim will be referred to the Public Trust.
There are legislative requirements that the High Court and trust will consider before land is given to descendants.
Public Trust managing solicitor Richard Calvert said the entity would look at the Administration Act and determine what share the Tauranga claimant had, depending on the family tree.
"The trust wouldn't be able to transfer the land to him without extensive research into Rebecca's descendants, which Mactodd is in the process of doing.
"We have to establish to the High Court's satisfaction that there is no other person who can apply to the court to administer Rebecca's affairs.
If we can, we become appointed as property manager, which leads to dealing with Rebecca's property by way of sale or subdivision or grants of easements.
"In the absence of any claimants, the sale proceeds would be paid to the Consolidated Fund 20 years after the court order."
