Thursday, March 28, 2024

Properties with history

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When William and Elizabeth Hartnell arrived at Waiotira, south of Whangarei, in 1866 they had 10ha of land. Several generations later the farm has grown to 1012ha, including a 200ha dairy farm and a beef unit raising 1000 four-day-old calves each year to grow on.
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Now it is for sale by negotiation with six adjoining blocks and 18 titles giving it scale and options, including setting it up as a family affair like it is now.

Heather Edwards is a descendent of the first Hartnells who arrived from England and walked the final leg of the journey with their possessions on their backs to the dot on the map that marked their plot of land.

It wasn't long after settling the land that William returned to England to bring back six sheep and later four cows so they could turn their milk into butter and make a meagre income. By 1900 the herd had expanded to 20 cows and the farm continued to milk cows for decades, adding neighbouring land over the years.

The farm expanded dramatically after Heather's grandfather went to Australia and struck gold, returning to buy more land.

When Heather and her husband John took over the farm, they moved to sheep farming, running up to 5000 ewes and adding more outlying land. But when their daughter Kathy and her husband Brendyn Pilcher returned from a dairy farm in Southland, the family moved back into dairying to provide sufficient income for what became a family affair.

Now the dairy platform makes up 200ha that milks 360 cows at the peak of the season and produces between 70,000kg and 80,000kg milksolids on average, as well as rearing up to 1000 calves out of the vat.

It's a regime they have been running for the past 15 years that entails growing on all the calves from the predominantly Friesian herd that has Friesian followed by Hereford bulls, plus bought-in four-day-old calves.

"We're very lucky that two of the sheep farms that were bought have huge woolsheds and covered yards that convert very well for calf rearing," Heather said.

Many of the reared calves are sold as yearlings with others finished on the farm, depending on the market each year.

The dairy herd and the young dairy stock are wintered on land around the edges of the milking platform that is not suitable for milk production. Between beef and dairy stock, the farm winters about 2000 cattle on land that combines valley floors with surrounding hill country.

Brian Prescott from First National Whangarei said the beauty of the farm lay in its size and its location, within easy distance of Whangarei and Auckland.

"It's a sizeable unit that is one of a kind – a significant piece of Northland land rich in history and with many options for the operator going forward," the 82-year-old real estate agent said. "There's various options available to purchase portions of the property or as a complete unit."

Block one is 352ha in 10 titles and has the main portion of the milking platform and the 17-year-old 30-aside herringbone dairy with a meal feeding system. It has a good range of support buildings including a large implement shed and covered yards. Completing the block are three housing options – a four-bedroom villa, a three-bedroom Keith Hay home, and a five-bedroom home with a sleepout.

The second block covers 228ha with a single title and is largely hill country with about 40ha of flats and is suitable as an independent unit. It comes with a woolshed and covered yards that are used for calf rearing, and a three-bedroom home and attached shearer's quarters.

On the third block of 172ha with a single title, the contour goes from rolling to medium hill country with some steep hills and features a three-bedroom Sunshine Homes' cottage. This block has traditionally been used for stock finishing and is well fenced and tracked.

Block four is another hill-country unit covering 77ha on a single title and is run as part of the 200ha milking platform. It's well-fenced with a central limestone race and has yards, loading race, and a single-room cottage.

On block five of 148ha and four titles, about 40ha of flat land is suitable for silage-making or hay, with the balance in hill country. This block has good road frontage and could be run as a separate unit.

Finally, block six is 35ha in a single title and has a substantial and modern seven-bedroom brick and tile home with generous double bedrooms and spacious open-plan living areas. It's built to overlook the picturesque valley and Prescott said it could easily be sold separately.

While the family has had a long association with the farm, Prescott said they were ready to downsize to an easier property. For further information, contact him on 09 438 8667 or 027 495 8550 or Ceilia Walker on 027 389 6809.

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