Hereheretau Station

2022 Sheep and Beef Finalists

Hereheretau Station

In the photo: L-R: Pete McKenzie, Brodie Taylor, Paul Te Aho, Raniera Holden, Dick Finnie, James Beattie and Lance Wesche.

Wairoa

Hereheretau Station, a 2,000ha sheep and beef farm near Wairoa, is the major asset of the Māori Soldiers Trust.

The Māori Soldiers Fund was set up in 1917 as part of the efforts of Sir Āpirana Ngata among others. The fund was started with 3,800 pounds in koha for the benefit of Māori veterans of the First World War. Over time additional donations were made contributing to leasehold interests of farmland in the northern parts of Wairoa. In 1922, the lease of two Hereheretau blocks was agreed.

In 1925, the Māori Soldiers Fund purchased Hereheretau Station and the asset was vested in the Māori Trustee. The Māori Soldiers Trust Act 1957 formally established the Māori Soldiers Trust and sets out its purpose, powers and administration by the Māori Trustee.

Earnings from Hereheretau Station are transferred into the Māori Soldiers Trust Scholarship Account for distribution as part of the Sir Āpirana Ngata Memorial Scholarship programme. These scholarships are granted to Māori for higher education. In 2021, 70 successful recipients received scholarships ranging from $1,000-$3,000.

A key function of the Māori Soldiers Trust Committee is to determine how much money is made available each year for these scholarships. The Trust Committee includes the Minister for Māori Development (as Chair); the Māori Trustee (as Deputy Chair); and Māori Soldiers, who have served overseas, and who represent one of the Māori Land Court districts.

Hereheretau Station is coming to the end of an extensive capex programme and is in a strong financial position to increase its contributions to aspiring young Māori through the Māori Soldiers Fund scholarships.

Embracing the local community at Whakakī, Hereheretau Station, is proactively involved in local projects, such as the restoration and protection of the Whakakī Lagoon, working alongside the local marae where possible, and supporting the local primary school in various capacities.

Today Hereheretau Station farms 122 land titles, many of which are Māori owned and under various agreements. Once inside the Hereheretau Station farming operation, best practice is implemented across the whenua with environmental wellbeing and appropriate land use at the forefront of decision making.

Hereheretau Station employs six full time staff, with a progressive shepherd growth programme that echoes the purpose of the Māori Soldiers Trust.

Governance structure and reporting are key to Hereheretau Station’s ability to make sound and timely decisions as a commercial entity.

Key facts:

• 3,480 hectares managed
• 2,687 hectares effective
• Contour ranges from flat to steep hill country
• Average annual rainfall ranges from 1,000mm on the coastal flats to 2,000mm in the back hills
• 25,000 stock units
• 55:45 sheep to cattle ratio

Sheep:

• 8,600 MA ewes lambing (including 2ths)
• Top 1,000 hoggets lambing
• All progeny sold prime, plus winter trade 4,000-5,000 lambs as able
• Average lamb CW over 20kg

Cattle

• 530 MA cows calving, 170 first calvers
• All progeny finished prime
• 400 12–15-month steers purchased and sold prime
• Steers average over 300kgCW
• Heifers over 260kgCW