Napier farm could be a hunters' paradise

Rocky Hill farm backs onto large areas of native bush inhabited by deer. Photo / Supplied

A big dry stock finishing and sheep breeding farm, with an extensive amount of paddock space enclosed by deer fencing, has been placed on the market.

The farm backs onto large areas of native bush inhabited by sika, red and fallow deer.

Rocky Hill farm at Puketitiri some 57km north-west of Napier is a 429ha farm which has traditionally been run as a sheep and bull beef finishing operation. About145ha of land is deer fenced.

The freehold property at 5227 Puketitiri Rd is now being marketed for sale by tender through Bayleys Napier, with tenders closing at 4pm on Wednesday March 13.

Bayleys Napier salespeople Tony Rasmussen and Gavin Franklin say a new owner of Rocky Hill could continue to operate the farm in its livestock and sheep-focused configuration; expand the deer management operations; or even look at creating a hunting park.

"This is not only a productive farming unit in its current configuration but is also a hunters' paradise or deer farming operation," says Rasmussen.

"Should the hunting park option be explored, the helicopter hangar would allow for guests to fly in from Taupo or Napier, with the potential to turn the farm manager's dwelling into supporting accommodation for overnight stays."

He says the bulk of the property is contoured in easy topography – with 18ha covenanted as QEII native bush reserve predominantly planted in native bush.

Rasmussen says the bushland area provides a perfect habitat for resident sika, red and fallow deer – all of which are regularly sourced for recreational hunting by the farm's owner.

Building infrastructure on Rocky Hill consists of:

• a four-stand woolshed, with a 500-animal night pen capacity;
• a five-bay implement shed and workshop;
• separate sheep and cattle yards; and
• a 120sq m helicopter hangar with a concrete landing pad outside, concreted floor inside, and a walk-in chiller/freezer unit used for storing on-site butchered livestock carcasses.

Accommodation on the farm encompasses two dwellings:

• a large four-bedroom/two-bathroom single-storey homestead with expansive courtyard and spa pool; and
• a three bedroom/two-bathroom farm manager's cottage set in established gardens.

Franklin says Rocky Hill is pastured on free-draining ash soils suited to intensive farming throughout the winter months. Water to the property is drawn from a mixture of both bore pumping and several spring-fed dams and creeks.

"The property is subdivided into 52 paddocks with a combination of post and wire and electric fencing – all benefitting from excellent vehicle and stock movement access off a spinal laneway leading to the central stock yards. There is potential to expand the property's reticulated water system to improve pasture growth even further," Franklin says.

"Situated between 600m and 690m above sea level, Rocky Hills farm generally winters 550 bulls, alongside 1100 ewes and 350 hoggets, and has a recorded lambing ratio of between 125 – 140 per cent."