Coastal station seeks new owner

Cape Turnagain was named by Captain James Cook in 1769. Photo / File

For the first time in over a century, one of the North Island's biggest farms, with 12km of frontage to the Pacific Ocean and encompassing the east coast headland, Cape Turnagain, has been placed on the open market.

The 3680ha Tautane Station in southern Hawke's Bay has been owned and run as a sheep and cattle breeding and finishing farm by the Herrick family and its descendants since 1902.

Because ownership is now spread across a wide group of families, the difficult decision had been made to put the property up for sale, says Glyn Rees-Jones, a director of Bayleys Coast to Coast who, with Sam Twigg of Bayleys Hawke's Bay, is marketing the property for sale by international tender closing November 23.

Cape Turnagain, the property's famous headland, was named by Captain James Cook in 1769 after his ship turned around twice at this point on his circumnavigation of the North Island.

"Tautane is one of the last original stations of this size still operating in the Hawke's Bay," says Rees-Jones. "It has a long-standing tradition of farming excellence and its breeding and store stock continue to achieve premiums and top values at sale."

The station comprises predominantly rolling hill country with vast expanses of clean pasture cover and it carries approximately 30,000 stock units. It borders the small coastal township of Herbertville and is around 65km east of Dannevirke and 150km south of Napier.

Buildings include a four-bedroom manager's house, four cottages, stables, a 718sq m woolshed and a variety of stock yards.

Rees-Jones says a new owner could add value by increasing the property's stock-carrying capacity and livestock performance through further investment and development.

"In addition, there is an opportunity to capitalise on the property's tourism and lifestyle development potential given its spectacular waterfront location with its pristine coastline."

He says the property has approximately 9ha of flat coastal land adjoining a long sandy beach running up to the cape.

"There are few properties in New Zealand that encompass such a long stretch of coastal land and rugged terrain around a headland and that open up a range of recreational business opportunities."

A small scale tourism venture (www.escapetothecape.co.nz) is operated from refurbished shearers' quarters on the property. Attractions include access to the long stretch of sandy beach, diving with plenty of paua and crayfish in the area, and a seal colony. There are also walking tracks to QEII National Trust covenanted areas on the farm including the southernmost northern rata tree plus a wide variety of other native species.

"The shape and contour of the property makes it a relatively straightforward farm to manage," says Rees-Jones. A long, central valley floor provides good access to a large part of the property. Stock handling is helped by the mostly downhill mustering terrain leading to satellite stock yards at the northern end of the valley.

In the early 2000s, a development programme was commenced which has concentrated on subdivision, pasture renovation and regrassing, fertiliser applications and water supply. There has also been a substantial outlay on fencing, which has taken the total amount of fencing across the property to about 131km.

What's on offer
Property: Tautane Station, Hawkes Bay
Area: 3680ha
For sale: International tender closing November 23
Potential: Recreational development
Features: Encompasses historic Cape Turnagain

www.bayleys.co.nz/750393