44 | Squawking Magpie - Limestone Hills REGIONAL TRUMAN EARTHWORKS Shaun: Peter: Brendon: 027 245 9963 027 446 1050 027 245 3086 Precision and reliability in Excavation Services. Advanced Earthmoving Technology. Winery offering lifestyle sections Located on State Highway 50, about 10 minutes from Hastings and 15 minutes from Havelock North, the development will eventually comprise 35 lifestyle sections released across five stages. T T Kelly Deeks “We are more rural than many subdivisions, but still only minutes from Hastings, Havelock North, Napier, the airport, the Bridge Pa golf course, and some of Hawke’s Bay’s best wineries.” The owner of boutique Hawke’s Bay winery Squawking Magpie is now creating more than award winning wines with his long-planned farm park development Limestone Hills building an exclusive rural community overlooking one of New Zealand’s most celebrated wine regions. Squawking Magpie director Gavin Yortt says Limestone Hills is the culmination of more than two decades of planning, transforming 143 hectares of rolling farmland into a premium farm park offering privacy, expansive views, and easy access to Hawke’s Bay’s key centres. Located on State Highway 50, about 10 minutes from Hastings and 15 minutes from Havelock North, the development will eventually comprise 35 lifestyle sections released across five stages. Stages one and two are complete, with homes already under construction, while further stages continue to progress. Gavin says the vision has always been to create something distinctive. “We bought the property more than 25 years ago with the intention of developing a farm park. The consent process started in 2015, and it has been a long journey to get here.” Sections range from about 2750sqm to 5000sqm and overlook the renowned Gimblett Gravels and Ngatarawa Triangle wine growing districts. Sitting between 100 and 150m above sea level, elevated sites offer sweeping rural views extending across Hawke’s Bay and as far as Mount Ruapehu. “There is strong local demand for quality lifestyle properties,” Gavin says. “We are more rural than many subdivisions, but still only minutes from Hastings, Havelock North, Napier, the airport, the Bridge Pa golf course, and some of Hawke’s Bay’s best wineries.” Each section includes power and broadband connections and is protected by design covenants that preserve the development’s open character, with single level homes, a five-metre height restriction, and generous spacing between neighbours. A gated entrance and sweeping landscaped road further reinforce the premium feel of the development. “This is a legacy project for me,” Gavin says. “We want to create something that will stand apart from anything else in the area. The neighbouring Māori land will remain undeveloped, so these views and the sense of space will be preserved.” Alongside the development, Gavin continues to grow the Squawking Magpie wine brand, which has become one of Hawke’s Bay’s most recognised boutique producers. After planting his first vines in 1981, Gavin was among the pioneers who helped establish the Gimblett Gravels wine region before launching the Squawking Magpie label in 1999. The winery specialises in premium red varieties including Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Merlot, and Chardonnay, producing award winning wines for the domestic market. “It is a challenging time for exporting, so our focus is on remaining boutique rather than expanding. We have built our reputation on quality and that will continue.” The distinctive Squawking Magpie name was inspired by one of the world’s most famous wines, Screaming Eagle, while reflecting Hawke’s Bay’s familiar black and white bird. “I loved the story behind Screaming Eagle and wanted something memorable with a local connection. The black and white suits our marketing perfectly.”
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