Category Archives: The High Country

Sheep remain dominant on South Island hill and high country

In previous articles, I first described the North Island’s 4000 commercial hill-country farms (Beef+Lamb Classes 3 and 4). Subsequently, I wrote about the approximately 4400 intensive sheep and beef farms that are spread across both North and South Islands (Beef+Lamb … Continue reading

Posted in Agribusiness, sheep and beef farms, The High Country, Uncategorized, Wool | Leave a comment

Pastoral Lands Bill hits rocky ground

The Crown Pastoral Land Reform (CPLR) Bill has struck rocky ground as it now works its way through the Environment Select Committee stage. The Bill is opposed vigorously by most and perhaps all of the remaining 171 pastoral leaseholders in … Continue reading

Posted in Land and water, The High Country, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Wilding pines march across the Wakatipu landscape

The Wakatipu Basin, with Queenstown as its main town and Arrowtown a secondary town, is a key location for the war between wilding pines and humans. On the human side, the war is led by the Department of Conservation (DOC), … Continue reading

Posted in Land and water, Outdoors with nature, The High Country, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

The High Country is a battle ground

There is an ongoing battle between conservationists and farmers over the future of high-country farming. Groups with recreation interests are also involved in the fight. For much of the last 20 years, the rules of the battle have largely been … Continue reading

Posted in Land and water, Outdoors with nature, The High Country, Water | Leave a comment

How leasehold values have influenced High-Country reform

Some 20 percent of the South Island is what is commonly called the ‘High Country’.  These are the pastoral lands that lie to the east of the alpine spine that runs the length of the island. These are also the … Continue reading

Posted in Land and water, The High Country | 2 Comments

High Country Tenure and Quiet Enjoyment

The New Zealand high country has been undergoing remarkable changes in land tenure over the last 20 years.  Much of the marginal pastoral land has moved into the conservation estate, and much of the better pastoral land has shifted from … Continue reading

Posted in Land and water, Outdoors with nature, The High Country | 6 Comments