Onenui Station at Mahia hosted an outstanding field day on Thursday last week to showcase itself as one of two finalists in the Ahuwhenua Trophy competition for excellence in Maori sheep and beef farming. Rocket Lab's launch site on the station can be seen at the top of the picture. Photo / alphapix.nz
Onenui Station at Mahia hosted an outstanding field day on Thursday last week to showcase itself as one of two finalists in the Ahuwhenua Trophy competition for excellence in Maori sheep and beef farming. Rocket Lab's launch site on the station can be seen at the top of the picture. Photo / alphapix.nz
A crowd of about 350 people took advantage of the opportunity to look over a finalist farm in the Ahuwhenua Trophy for excellence in Māori sheep and beef farming last Thursday, at the home of Rocket Lab.
Ahuwhenua chairwoman Nukuhia Hadfield said there was a great turnout for the field day on Tawapata South, Onenui Station at the tip of Mahia Peninsula.
Onenui Station and Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust in Northland are the finalists for the trophy this year.
Ahuwhenua competition trust chairwoman Nukuhia Hadfield carries the prestigious trophy into Thursday's event at Māhia. Photo / alphapix.nz
Guests were welcomed on to the farm where they heard a series of presentations from the committee and staff.
They were told about the history of the whenua, and then the big feature of the day was going out on the farm for a tour of the property on side-by-side vehicles and farm bikes.
“The weather was perfect and guests saw breathtaking views of the steep hill country, the stock run on the farm, the coast and of course the Rocket Lab launch pad at the tip of the peninsula,” Hadfield said.
Proprietor Tawapata South chairman Lester White said he was blown away by how the day unfolded.
“I am so grateful for the way in which things turned out,” White said.
“The field day confirmed that what the incorporation is doing is okay, in particular relating to what they have achieved so far in terms of protecting the whenua.”
The farm tour on side-by-sides and quads gave those attending a good look around the station, and the scenery was magnificent on a beautiful day. Photo / alphapix.nz
Hadfield said those attending the day were given a great view of the beautiful farm.
“When you get around 350 people on side-by-sides and quad bikes, it really shows that people are interested and prepared to organise themselves to come out and see what is going on out here at Onenui Station,” she said.
“They were interested not only in the environmental work that has been done on Waikawa Island off the tip of Mahia Peninsula, but also in seeing what is probably the only working farm in the world that has a rocket launching pad on it.”
A sea of faces took in the presentation on the station's history and performance on Thursday. Photo / alphapix.nz
Hadfield said the team at Onenui Station had done an excellent job organising the day.
“They and the other finalist, Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust, are both role models for agriculture in Aotearoa.”
The eventual winner of the competition will be announced at the awards dinner on Friday, June 6, at Fly Palmy Arena, Palmerston North.
