Ngāi Tahu Farming Selected to Manage Molesworth Station

The Department of Conservation (DOC) has selected Ngāi Tahu Farming as the preferred operator to negotiate a concession for Molesworth Station, the largest farm in New Zealand. The 180,000-hectare property, which spans Marlborough and North Canterbury, was previously managed by state-owned Pāmu Landcorp.

Following a competitive process involving five applicants, DOC chose Ngāi Tahu Farming, a subsidiary of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Group. Deputy Director-General Henry Weston stated the decision rested on the company's strong financial foundations and extensive experience farming at scale in the high country. The selection was endorsed by Federated Farmers President Colin Hurst, who praised the process as robust and fair, noting the company's ability to integrate the station with existing operations in North Canterbury.

Other bids were unsuccessful, including a proposal by former manager Jim Ward to convert the station into a charitable trust, a move Ward described as a "station for the nation."

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Chief Executive Ben Bateman emphasized that the group views the opportunity through the lens of stewardship rather than just farming. The final agreement must ensure protected public access and a commitment to biodiversity, as well as active weed and pest management within the drylands ecosystem.