Good Things Happening In Tologa Bay

Media Release: Bayleys Real Estate
Date: January 2010

Restoration of the wharf is not the only good thing happening in Tolaga Bay!

A property in Tolaga Bay with fertile alluvial soils rivaling those on the Poverty Bay flats - and with a fine viticultural and cropping history - is for sale with Bayleys.

Patrick Willock of Bayleys Gisborne says the composition of the 21.258 hectare block of land in Paroa Road is predominantly Makaraka silt loams recognised as having high natural fertility and this is what the perceptive current owners – Clive and Diana Bibby - were attracted to.

“Nearly 30 years ago, the Bibbys recognised the inherent qualities of the soil here and set about transforming what was one of the last dairy farms in Tolaga Bay in to a vineyard block. Eighty percent of the land is flat and significant work was put into levelling the humps and hollows and upgrading the drainage,” explains Mr Willock.

“Clive and Diana planted around half of the vineyard in Mendoza chardonnay grapes – the premium chardonnay grape at the time – later replacing these vines with Clone 6 which suited the Tolaga Bay conditions and was an intensive cropper. They also grew the New Zealand varietal Dr Hogg Muscat which cropped well with heavy open bunches and which gave a good return.”

For two years the Bibbys made wine on a ‘hobby’ basis and it was of such a high standard that it won medals at the Bragato Wine Awards for both years. The method champenoise was certainly enticing however, in order to pursue other off-farm options, a decision was made a couple of years ago to move out of grapes and the land is now planted in sweetcorn.

Mr Willock says the land is very viable for a crop like sweetcorn because of the good drainage and the natural climatic advantage that Tolaga Bay has.

“With an enviable 2000 hours of sunshine each year, an almost frost-free record and an annual average rainfall of around 1100 mm it’s a near perfect growing climate for many process crops plus the property has a river alongside giving possible future irrigation options. Because the climate here is often different from Gisborne itself, there are perhaps growers out there who could benefit from having a supplementary Tolaga Bay arm to their portfolio to offer a bit of diversification,” he says.

“The land is much cheaper than in Gisborne - less than half the price of similar top soils - and infrastructure-wise it’s not a major exercise when it comes to harvesting and transportation. Any number of crops could be grown here but it is sweetcorn that has flourished and there has been a ready market for it. Over the winter months, lambs have been fattened on the property with some good weights achieved so it is a flexible and multi-faceted block of land.”

There is also the added bonus of a stand of millable Japanese cedar which have been well-tended and which have a conservative value of $20,000.

“There are a couple of other opportunities to consider as well with regards the sale of this land,” says Mr Willock.

“The Bibbys lease 5.47 hectares of Maori land neighbouring the property which they have also planted in sweetcorn and there is nine years still to run on that lease. A prospective buyer would have the option of taking over this lease and would also have first refusal to purchase 86.958 hectares of adjoining hill country land when the pinus radiata currently growing there is harvested.”

The thriving community of Tolaga Bay which boasts its own radio station, cafes and golf course is best known for the iconic Tolaga Bay Wharf which stands proudly as testament to the days when the area was defined by its pastoral economy. Clive Bibby is funding director for the $6m ‘Save the Tolaga Bay Wharf’ project and has, along with other members of the Trust, been instrumental in ensuring that the wharf endures for future generations.

“Tolaga Bay is a great community and the property for sale offers opportunity and reward to a visionary buyer who appreciates the intrinsic potential of such a versatile block of land. I look forward to discussing some options with interested parties as the possibilities are broad,” says Mr Willock.

Offers on 292 Paroa Road, Tolaga Bay are to be received on or before 10 February.

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