Paua Station

2015 Sheep and Beef Finalists

Paua Station

Paua Station is located about 80 km north of Kaitaia and 40 km south of the top of New Zealand, Cape Reinga. 

The Parengarenga rohe spans across the top of New Zealand from the Pacific Ocean in the East to the Tasman Sea in the West. It stretches from Te Kao in the South to Thoms Landing in the North and its land sweeps alongside the pristine waters of Parengarenga Harbour on the eastern shoreline.

Paua Station is owned by the Parengarenga Incorporation which is based in the small community of Te Kao.

In 1956 nine blocks of Māori land towards the south of Parengarenga Harbour were amalgamated into one block which was known as the Parengarenga Toopu. These blocks were Parengarenga 1, 5A1, 5A3 and 5B2B – valued at £17,195 or 17,195 shares. In 1965 Parengarenga Toopu was divided into Parengarenga A, to be developed as Forest and Parengarenga B to be developed into two farming stations. These farms were known as the Paua and Te Rangi development schemes.

On the 4th March 1965 the Māori Land Court mandated Parengarenga Incorporation. It should have been a great celebration but the Lands and Survey department was to administer and control the land. The newly mandated Incorporation appointed trustees whose task was to secure our land back under our control.  After many years, Lands and Survey no longer held the respect of the rohe, the management appointed lacked skill and the staff moral hit an all-time low. 
This situation was to continue for twenty-three years before Lands and Survey would withdraw its administration. The immediate impact of the Lands and Survey withdrawal was to leave poor infrastructure, there were no administrators, staff, and farm advisors – no system at all. On the 5th August 1988 the then Minister of Māori Affairs, the honourable Koro Wetere, officially handed full control of the land to Parengarenga Incorporation.

Paua Station as it stands today consists of 2,430 ha of easy rolling coastal sand country on which are run 2,800 mainly Angus cattle and 7,000 sheep of which 6,100 are ewes with a 118% lambing percentage.

The story of Paua Station is about development and it is ongoing. It is now mainly a finishing property and the farming policy dovetails in with Te Rangi Station also owned by the Parengarenga Incorporation and Cape View station leased.

It’s been about increasing stock numbers and having a stock policy which better suits the often dry summer conditions of the Far North. For example Paua Station lambs in June/July and has most of the lambs off the farm by Christmas. This allows them to get premium prices and to take the feed pressure off capital stock in summer. They are moving from a Perendale X flock to a Romney one to gain better returns in lambing while retaining the quality meat and wool.

The station now breeds and finishes its own Angus Bulls and again sells them in winter/spring to gain the best price. A far cry from the early days when weaners were bought in and finished on the farm. Infrastructure on Paua Station has steadily been improved with new fences, buildings and better quality pastures sown. The farm, thanks to good governance and management has lifted its game and is another example of property that is realising its potential and hence is another worthy Ahuwhenua Trophy finalist.