Cruise ship visitors enjoy taste of life on a local farm

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Passengers on the National Geographic Orion, the first cruise ship of the season to visit Gisborne on Monday, got up close and personal with farming life in New Zealand when they visited Maclaurin Farm at Hexton.

More than 60 visitors, mainly from the US, were bussed out to the property on the Station Life in Rural New Zealand tour.

To begin with they gathered in the woolshed where they got a shearing demonstration, then they visited the gardens on the property, were treated to a traditional Kiwi ‘smoko’, and the tour finished with a mustering demonstration.

“They really enjoyed the day,” said one of their hosts, Jo Foster.

“We gave them a good idea of what it’s like to live and work on a New Zealand farm.

“The two groups we had through during the day particularly loved seeing the dogs working the sheep.

“They told us they could see the greater level of skill and knowledge needed to be successful in farming in this country.”

They were entertained by three generations of the Maclaurin family.

‘Station Life in Rural NZ’ will operate further tours during cruise ship visits on November 28 and 29, with more tours right through until the end of the cruise ship season in March.