Successful Wanganui businesswoman Karen Collins is starting a deer farm in Brunswick.
The publicity-shy deer lover could keep a herd of up to 100 on a 60-hectare property she has fenced off.
A spokesman for Mrs Collins' company, award-winning Quality Safety, said the venture was only a hobby "at this stage". "Whether
it develops into something else remains to be seen," said compliance and human resources manager Chris Hull.
He said the deer were being imported, but declined to say where from. He said Mrs Collins wanted to re-invest some of her wealth in the district.
Mr Hull contacted the Chronicle yesterday to answer speculation about a photo of the property that appeared in the Midweek last week.
He said Mrs Collins didn't want to be interviewed, but was more than happy for Chronicle readers to know of her plans.
Mrs Collins and her family - husband Guy is the company's general manager - emigrated to Wanganui from South Africa almost a decade ago. Mr Hull said they could have set up their business "anywhere in the world", but plumped for Wanganui after holidaying here.
"They love the place," he said.
Quality Safety, in Pacific Place, manufactures safety and medical supplies for national and international markets.
In 2007, it won Wanganui's supreme business award.
Mr Hull said the farm had not been given a name, nor was it known whether any staff would be employed there.
