72 | ON FARM » Flock Hill Station / Trade Services tel: 0508 873 7483 email: sales@affordableconcrete.co.nz www.affordableconcrete.co.nz Canterbury - Trade services & equipment directory Civil Contracting Concrete & Paving Aggregate Supply INCREASE YOUR HERDS MILK PRODUCTION Less Calcium = Less Milk By supplementing your cows diet with Healthy Cow throughout milking ensures increased milk production and bolsters immune function. Available from your local dealer or contact: Lower South Island: AB Lime: 0800 227 559 Upper South Island: Victory Lime Ltd: 0800 303 980 www.healthycow.co.nz Trust RHL for reliable, expert civil contracting solutions from Darfield, Canterbury to Otago. • Earthworks • Commercial • Roading • Farm Development / Maintenance • Residential • Cartage & Transport Shaping your vision, creating your future. 027 535 5935 dan@rhltd.co.nz www.rhlcontracting.co.nz Luxury lodge experience Food production is a key link between the lodge and the farm. Karen Phelps Over more than a century Flock Hill Station has weathered floods, harsh alpine winters and changing ownership. The latest chapter in its story is the development of a luxury lodge experience designed to open up the landscape to guests while strengthening the farm’s long-term sustainability. “The vision was to share this extraordinary landscape with a wider audience in a way that still respected its working identity,” says Flockhill sales and marketing manager Valerie Cullen. The lodge now includes The Homestead, opened in late 2022, followed by the Villas and Sugarloaf restaurant in 2024, offering high-end accommodation and dining alongside immersive farm activities. “Creating a luxury destination in such a remote alpine environment required significant planning and patience, but it was about building something world-class that sits naturally within the land,” says Valerie. “What makes Flockhill unique is the combination untouched landscape and refined luxury. Guests can spend the morning riding through the station on horseback, fly fishing in remote waterways, or taking part in hands-on farm experiences and then return to exceptional dining, thoughtful design and highly personalised service.” Despite the addition of luxury experiences, farming remains at the heart of the station, with around 10,500 sheep and 400 cattle managed by shepherds and working dogs across the vast terrain. “The lodge and the farming operation work hand in hand,” says Valerie. “Flockhill is built around a genuine working station so the experience feels deeply connected to the land rather than manufactured for tourism. There’s a real sense of scale, privacy, and authenticity here that’s difficult to replicate.” A strong focus on biodiversity has also become central to operations with initiatives aimed at protecting native ecosystems, improving waterways and ensuring long-term soil health and productivity. “The station’s biodiversity management plan is about protecting and enhancing the land for future generations while maintaining its productivity today,” says Valerie. “The revenue from the lodge also allows us to invest further into the land, farm and overall biodiversity of the property.” Food production is another key link between the lodge and the farm, with much of the restaurant’s menu drawing directly from the station’s garden, livestock and surrounding environment. Sugarloaf restaurant focuses on hyper-local produce, with ingredients grown on-site or sourced from nearby producers, reinforcing the connection between landscape and plate. “Guests are increasingly interested in understanding where food comes from and how rural properties operate so the station provides a genuine story and experience that enhances the offering.” Recent recognition, including inclusion in international travel listings such as TIME’s World’s Greatest Places, has highlighted how the transformation has been received globally. Driving Kiwis for generations 144 Percival Street, Rangiora 7400 | 03 313 8186 | rangioratoyota.co.nz FERTILISER SPREADING | FARM MAPPING GPS TRACKING | VARIABLE RATE SPREADING LIVESTOCK CARTAGE | DAILY FREIGHT CONCRETE SUPPLIES | GRAIN CARTAGE SHINGLE SUPPLIES | FERTILISER SUPPLIES Leeston: 03 3248 070 | Dunsandel: 03 3254 039 reception@ellesmere.co.nz “It’s been an exciting period for Flock Hill Station and a real reflection of the team’s commitment to creating something unique,” says Valerie. The property spans 36,000 acres and dates back to 1857 when it first operated as part of the Craigieburn Run. While the luxury lodge experience represents a new era, Valerie says that Flock Hill Station today stands as an example of how historic farming operations can diversify without losing their core purpose.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=