Strategically-developed Eco’ Farm With High Regard For The Environment Is Placed On The Market For Sale

A strategically developed New Zealand sheep and beef farm aligned to an international award-winning environmental enhancement project has been placed on the market for sale.

The 377-hectare property on the Mahia Peninsula between Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay comprises rich pumice soils sustaining a mixture of fodder crops, fertile grazing pasture, and strategically planted native developments.

Over the past two decades, the farm - known as Taharoa – has been developed with a focus on creating an environmentally-sustainable operation. Two kilometres of the Whangawehi River flow through Taharoa. An organisation known as the Whangawehi Catchment Management Group was established to protect some 3,600 of land on Mahia Peninsula where Taharoa is located.

Taharoa’s owners signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Whangawehi Catchment Management Group in 2013, and since then some 72hectares of the property has been fenced and planted with 16,000 native trees – including totara, titoki, puriri, kohekohe, rimu, matai, rewarewa and kauri – while flood prone tree species line the farm’s water course.

The Whangawehi River’s environmental management is now an award-winning project – having been the recipient of New Zealand’s highest environmental recognition as Supreme Winner at the Green Ribbon Awards in 2017, and then going on to win the International River Award, Asia-Pacific category in 2018.

With a superior mixed contour, Taharoa’s 377-hectares includes approximately 150 hectares of flat to easy contoured land producing fodder crops from pumice soils. It also has some 72 hectares of strategically planted native trees on retired land.

Now the farm at 1637 Mahia East Coast Road is being marketed for sale by tender through Bayleys Gisborne, with the tender process closing on November 16.

Salespeople Simon Bousfield and Stephen Thomson said the last twenty years had seen significant change in the way Taharoa’s owners had farmed the property - focusing on environmental stewardship with an eye to the future.

Describing Taharoa as being “years ahead of its class in environmental sustainability” Mr Bousfield said the farm’s stock were an illustration of the quality and performance of the farm, lambs killed early over 18kgs, and weaner cattle experiencing growth rates of 1.5kg per day in the farm’s cell system.

“This is an opportunity to purchase not only a high-performing farm, but a pioneer of sustainability,” Mr Bousfield said.

He said the intensification of the farm was enhanced by an extensive reticulated water system supported by a very favourable annual rainfall. Mr Bousfield said

the farm enjoyed a temperate climate, which included high sunshine hours. Annual rainfall over the 2019 and 2020 calendars years, has been recorded at between 998mms to 1,135mms.

“A significant reticulated water system has been developed across the farm - providing troughed water to majority of the property. The system is sourced from a large spring-fed pond near the southern and eastern boundary, which is pumped to elevated tanks, then gravity fed across the farm. There are also dams across the reticulated land,” he said.

“Being largely made up of flat to easy contour land, the farm is easily accessed by four-wheel drive vehicle. This accessibility is enhanced by well graded tracks, with the hill country including a good network of all-terrain vehicle tracking.”

Taharoa’s homestead comprises a spacious four-bedroom/two-bathroom residence overlooking the Pacific Ocean – along with its own in-ground swimming pool – situated amidst beautifully landscaped gardens. Farm buildings and infrastructure across the property include:

• A pair of large five-bay implement sheds – one near the sheep yards, and one in the centre of the farm
• A pair four-bay and three-bay implement sheds
• A workshop and motorbike shed
• A four-stand woolshed and adjoining shearers’ quarters
• Two sets of sheep yards – one at the front of the property and one in the centre – as well as another set of large cattle yards on the south-eastern boundary with road frontage

and

• A half-round hay shed.

Mr Thomson said that in in conjunction with its farming activities, multiple other environmental-enhancement projects have been undertaken at Taharoa. These included:

• Creating a New Zealand Walking Access walkway running along the back north-west boundary of Taharoa, which is scheduled to open later this year
• Planting of farm shelter belts with toetoe, flax, manuka, karo, and te kouka
• Releasing soil-enriching dung beetles

and

• Aligning with the various pest eradication programmes which have seen the culling of opossums and goats.

Mahia Peninsula and its sandy white beach are renown for being the home of space technology company Rocket Lab as well as for its enormous recreational aquatic appeal to fishermen, divers, and surfers.

Click here for more information on the listing.

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