Food & Fibre Farm Tours

Visit some of our local producers on farms around the Upper Clutha basin. Farmers are adapting at pace to freshwater, indigenous biodiversity and climate change policy. Join us on-farm to see the work that has already been undertaken and how farmers are using technology, small group frameworks and integrated farm planning to stay ahead of the changes. Whether you are an urban/rural/peri rural dweller these visits will connect you with the farmers journeys towards best practice in action and show how farmers are able to regenerate our environment and get highly nutritional, healthy food on our plates and premium fibres to cater to our lifestyles.

WHO IS THIS FOR: rural and peri-urban landowners and managers, anyone interested in our local regenerative farm systems.

Profits from this event will be split between Wao and WAI Wānaka, to be put towards projects for ecosystem health and community wellbeing of the Upper Clutha basin.

Lunch: This is a full day tour visiting local farms and includes a boxed lunch at Lake Hawea. A form will be sent to you prior to the tour for dietary requirements.

Transport: Carpooling from WAI Wanaka (ALREC) 185 Riverbank Road, Wanaka.

About the farms

Spots Creek – Indigenous Biodiversity

Join Hamish Mackay at Spots Creek to chat on-farm biodiversity. The Mackay family are 5th generation farmers in the Upper Clutha. Spots Creek is a 1400ha sheep, cattle and deer farm in the Cardrona Valley with a good balance of irrigated paddocks, north facing terraces and hill county running to 1500m.

Dr David Norton will join Hamish to discuss indigenous biodiversity on farms in the Upper Clutha, how farmers are integrating this into their farm plans, and practical steps to monitor and protect our native flora and fauna.

Mt Brown – Animal Pest Control

Rabbits are not new to the Upper Clutha – but they have become an increasing issue across urban, rural and public conservation land causing loss of production, loss of biodiversity, soil degradation and erosion.

Meet Stacey Anderson from Mt Brown farm. Stacey is running sheep and cropping lucerne in non-irrigated dryland – a challenging farming environment.

Hear from Stacey how he has been working with his neighbouring landowners – DOC and other farmers - to undertake coordinated rabbit control with impressive results.

Stacey is joined by Jonathon Clark, FTP Solutions, to discuss technology innovations in predator control to assist the work towards the goal of a predator free New Zealand.

Glen Dene – Farm Planning for Environmental Management

Glen Dene Station has been in the custodianship of the Burdon family for over three generations and is a diversified operation that includes farming, hunting, and The Camp.

Nearly 15,000 acres of freehold land, including more than 12 miles of lakefront aspect to both Lakes Hawea and Wanaka. 

Join Richard and Sarah Burdon to discuss environmental farm planning that includes carbon planning. The Burdon’s are joined by Simon Stokes to discuss building environmental management capability and capacity through farm planning, soils, freshwater, biodiversity and climate change.

Luggate Creek Catchment – Te Mana o te Wai

Visit the Luggate Creek and hear from landowners, residents, iwi and water experts about a community pulling together to ensure the health of their waterway.

The Luggate Creek is a source of mahinga kai and provides habitat for native species of fish, as well as supporting birdlife, native vegetation and farmland as it descends from the Criffel Ranges to the Mata-au.

Animal and plant pest control, waterway fencing, regenerating and planted native trees, and an extensive water testing programme help protect this waterway for the species that depend on it for survival and wellbeing.

The Wao Summit is a six day annual event held in Wānaka. Its aim is to inspire, educate and enable our transition as a community and nation to a healthy, thriving, diverse, carbon zero community. 

This event is part of the Wao Summit 2021, check out the full programme here.

wao.co.nz

Covid-19 Policy

In the case of Covid-19 alert levels change to level 3 or 4, this tour will be cancelled and a full refund offered. Visit our website for full details of our Covid-19 Policy www.wao.co.nz/covidpolicy