About Us

Glenn, Sophie & Marie Coburn – Hosts & owners of Franz Josef Glacier Country Retreat Welcome to our home – we hope you enjoy your stay with us at Franz Josef Glacier Country Retreat. 

 A little background history on Franz Josef Glacier Country Retreat 
My family was one of the first families to arrive in this area during the Gold Rush in the 1860’s.  My great, great grandmother, Catherine Markey, left Dublin at 18 years old and arrived in Okarito in 1864.  She married James Wallace and moved to the Mapourika Township (the first settlement in this region just north of the lake).  They had 13 children & moved to Waiho beach to run the ferry on the Waiho river.  Sadly James Wallace died and Catherine Wallace was left to raise the 13 children on the Waiho Beach in the middle of nowhere & run the ferry.  My great grandmother Eleanor Wallace married James Green in 1898 and first lived in the Waiho Gorge village (now called Franz Josef village), before purchasing land at Potters Creek.  This land was cleared and farmed by the Green family for the last 100 years.  
Franz Josef Glacier Country Retreat is situated on this family land which my father currently leases to a Dairy farmer for grazing their cows.  We also run about 30 breeding cows and calves on this home block of 200 acres.  In the small paddock behind the hotel, you can find Dexter our pet cow.  She loves eating croissants, white bread & apples.  If you would like to feed her just ask at the reception for some food – she is very friendly when you have food. 
Franz Josef Glacier Country Retreat is a new specially built, Qualmark 4 star plus, Boutique Bed & Breakfast Hotel. There are 12 guest rooms – 10 hotel rooms with ensuites and 2 ‘honeymoon’ suites.  Each room has been named after the 12 earliest families or personalities in the Franz Josef area. The building design was inspired by an historical Glacier Hotel.  There are pictures of this hotel displayed in the dinning room.  The Graham Glacier Hotel burnt down in 1953 and was situated near the Department of Conservation Information Centre.  
Like my father, grandfather & great grandmother, I was born in this area and have spent my whole life here, expect for a year when I went over to the UK and traveled around Europe when I was 18 years old.  
My husband Glenn is a like most kiwi blokes, a keen out doors man who is mostly found outside doing landscaping, gardening or working on the farm. 
We have a very special daughter, Sophie-Rose, who is 11 years old.  At 5 years old, her right eye had to be removed as a cancer tumor was discovered – we were very lucky that we discovered her tumor before it had spread from her eye and she has now been clear of cancer for 4 years and is doing really well. We also now have a very new special addition to our family - a new baby boy born on the 3rd August 2008.  His name is Isaac and he is a very bonny happy little boy. 
The other family member you may meet during your stay, is our cat Gingee. If you are wanting any more information on the history of this area or wanting local knowledge on what there is to see and doing, please feel free to ask. 

Marie Coburn - Owner/Operator of Franz Josef Glacier Country Retreat