Farm Tour April 2025

On the 5th April, 2025 a sunny Saturday morning, our trustees welcomed whānau to a very special tour of our whenua — a day to walk the land, share stories and connect with each other and the past.

We kicked things off at the Saleyards & Café building at 9am, where we gathered for a mihi, some whanaungatanga, and a kōrero about some of the old place names in the area. Despite the miserable weather of the days before, the weather cleared beautifully, setting the tone for an awesome day.

Our first stop was the cell tower site, which gifted us a 360-degree view of the whenua. From this vantage point, we could see the boundaries of the farm — with Poerua Maunga standing tall in one direction, and Taratara Maunga in the other.

From there, we crossed the road to where Geneva gave a talk about the locations of various homesteads she remembers from her childhood. We were also honoured to have Aunty Ani join us too who watched and listened from the comfort of her car.

We then collected our kai and carried on to the Hūpara, where we sat down for lunch, and had a cheeky run-in with some persistent namu. However they couldn't deter us and the relaxed atmosphere and great lunch (thanks Neat Eats) made it a highlight of the day.

Before wrapping up, we made a quick detour to the site where our whānau Maisie Cherrington grew up. She was able to show us and her whanau, the area — a great moment that rounded off a successful day.

Back at the café building, we closed with some kōrero about Oromahoe whakapapa before saying our farewells.

It was truly an awesome day — one filled with stories, laughter, learning, and connection. A huge mihi to everyone who helped organise and take part. We hope to host more days like this in the future.