| 25 Island farmers rely on shipping for everything Durham coast. Pt Durham Wind site (below). Kim Bowden For Gary Cameron, farming on the Chatham Islands has always come with an extra layer of planning: the ship schedule. The islands’ farmers rely on shipping for everything from supplies to getting stock off the island. After years of disruption caused by the ageing Southern Tiare, Gary says the government’s commitment to a new, larger supply vessel due by the end of 2027 is giving farmers renewed optimism. “There was no point in producing a lot more stock if you couldn’t get rid of them,” he says. Cameron says certainty around shipping is encouraging farmers to think beyond simply getting through each season. “Instead of reducing numbers, let’s think about revitalising our land, our stock, to meet the demand,” he says. Gary and his wife Eileen have farmed Durham, a 330-hectare property on the exposed south coast of Chatham Island, since 1992. Approximately a decade ago, they bought a second 110-hectare block on North Road that borders Te Whanga Lagoon. Together they run a breeding sheep and beef operation with just under 1,600 breeding ewes and 100 breeding cows. RURAL PEOPLE » Durham Farm • to page 26 Turanganui Romneys Guy Warren William Warren Mike Warren 027 446 5312or 06 307 7841 027 848 0164 027 824 9327 Proudly supporting Durham Farm
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