Andi Cocroft: Molesworth Belongs to New Zealand

The Department of Conservation has selected Ngāi Tahu Farming as its preferred operator for Molesworth Station, ending a competitive process that attracted five bids. The decision has inevitably generated discussion, particularly following the disappointment expressed by former manager Jim Ward, whose proposal centred on creating “a station for the nation” through a charitable trust. While attention has naturally focused on who won the concession, the more important question is what New Zealand should expect from whoever manages one of the country’s most iconic landscapes.

Molesworth is far more than New Zealand’s largest working farm. It is also a nationally significant recreation reserve, an important drylands ecosystem, a place of cultural significance and a landscape enjoyed by thousands of New Zealanders each year. DOC itself has emphasised that farming will remain the core commercial activity, while biodiversity, heritage, recreation and cultural values must all be protected. Taken together, those responsibilities create a demanding balance that extends well beyond successful farming.

For outdoor recreation, one commitment stands above the rest. DOC has stated that public access will be maintained or improved, while both Ngāi Tahu Farming and Federated Farmers have publicly recognised the importance of preserving access for New Zealanders. Those statements deserve to be welcomed. They also establish a clear benchmark against which the concession should be measured over the years ahead.

 

Managing Molesworth will inevitably involve balancing competing interests. Farming operations, weed and pest control, ecological restoration, public safety, cultural heritage and recreational access will not always align perfectly. Good stewardship means recognising that these objectives can coexist, while ensuring that no single interest gradually displaces the others. Decisions made today will shape how future generations experience this remarkable landscape.

CORANZ has long argued that public resources carry public responsibilities. That principle applies regardless of whether management rests with a government agency, a state-owned enterprise, a private company or an iwi organisation. The identity of the operator is less important than the standards to which that operator is held. Public access, environmental stewardship and responsible land management should remain enduring expectations rather than optional aspirations.

The success of this concession should therefore not be judged simply by farm profitability or operational efficiency. It should be measured by healthy ecosystems, effective weed and pest control, well-managed recreation, and whether New Zealanders continue to enjoy the freedom to experience Molesworth as one of our great high-country landscapes. The operator may have changed. Molesworth itself still belongs to all New Zealanders.

Andi Cocroft is the chairman for Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations of New Zealand (CORANZ). Where this article was sourced.