Maunga Awa station on the market

Maunga Awa Station in Southern Hawke's Bay has twice been a finalist in the Balance Farm Environment Awards. Photo/Supplied

A large-scale sheep farm in Southern Hawke's Bay that has twice been a finalist in the Balance Farm Environment Awards has been placed on the market.

Located 12 kilometres north-east of Dannevirke, Maunga Awa Station is being marketed for sale at auction on November 16 by Bayleys Hawke's Bay.

The 540-hectare property, which sits directly adjacent to the upper reaches of the Manawatu River, has had extensive planting to sustain a "clean earth clean water" policy. About 15,000 poplar and willow trees have been planted across the station over the past 20 years and more than 4000 native trees have been planted in the past two years as part of a stream protection and water quality project.

Such environmental protection farming practices have resulted in Maunga Awa Station being twice selected as a finalist in the Balance Farm Environment Awards, first in 2005 and again last year.

Salesman Tony Rasmussen said the station comprised 180 hectares of cultivatable, flat land and easy rolling countryside producing plantain, clover/herb and ryegrass crops that enabled its sheep and cattle to reach impressive weights.

"Livestock performances at Maunga Awa Station are enhanced as a result of the reticulated water supply, and, because the river has been fenced and planted, the environment is protected and enhanced also."

The standard of improvements and infrastructure on the property was nothing short of exceptional, he said.

"Irrigation on the property comes through five different reticulated water systems. The main irrigation line is fed by a spring on the hill, while the remaining four are fed from fenced-off dams. Rain is collected from the roofs of the homestead, workshop and woolshed for domestic consumption as part of the farm's green practices."

In addition to being an environmental finalist, Maunga Awa owner John Poulton was runner-up in this year's Tararua Farmer of the Year and the property won CMP (now Anzco Foods) Lamb Producer of the Year.

The property includes a 253-square-metre, four-bedroom homestead sitting on landscaped grounds with an in-ground swimming pool.

Farm buildings included a four-stand wool shed, 1000-square-metre sheep yards, concreted cattle yards, a five-bay implement shed with mezzanine bay and a 122-square-metre Totalspan workshop.

Mr Rasmussen said the property was fenced into 80 paddocks with a seven or eight wire post and batten system.

Maunga Awa Station had most recently stocked 4215 sheep and 95 cattle; all of which were available for purchase in addition to the land and buildings.

"The sheep yards facility is spot-lit, enabling for the processing and loading of sheep at night. It is supported by an automatic three-way weighing and drafting system and has a permanent dipping spray-race," Mr Rasmussen said

The majority of the grazing land was classified as medium/hill terrain, with the riverbanks kept stock-free as part of the farm's environmental sustainability policy, he said.