ROTONGAIO LODGE & STATION

Rotongaio Lodge
Rotongaio Lodge sits in the heart of Rotongaio Station, a 4000 acre sheep and cattle station. The Lodge is located on the edge of Lake Rotoroa, a small, pristine, spring-fed lake bursting with Rainbow trout. The Lodge itself was the station house, built in the early 1970’s to replace the original old homestead. In 2009, it was totally gutted and redesigned by Christine Agar, who oversaw every aspect of its re-build and refurbishment.

The Lodge now consists of an upper-story apartment, with the ground floor opening out onto a beautiful terraced area overlooking the lake from a wonderfully well-appointed dining/lounge area. It also has a cosy library/office and a fully equiped chef’s kitchen with a coal range supplying heating to each room. There are four downstairs bedrooms with adjoining bathrooms each done to the highest standard and all with a lovely, comfortable, warm feeling. Each room has its own television and WIFI internet connection.

The Lodge is surrounded by plantings of mature trees, both native and exotic, and has lovely flowing gardens with private areas for sitting and reading or just relaxing with views over the lake.

Rotongaio Station
Rotongaio Station 2000 acres
Stan Hill 750 acres
Maori lease block 500 acres
Forest lease block 750 acres
Total 4000 acres

Stock at winter (30th June)
6500 Peredale breeding ewes (reported to be one of the best flocks In the North Island)
1500 Ewe hoggets
550 Angus breeding cows

Rotongaio is a breeding finishing farm, and in a good year finish all lambs to slaughter weight. Calves are sold as weaners (steers) in April, apart from 100 replacement heifers, and the balance are sent to our finishing block in South Taranaki (West Coast) along with any unfinished lambs. The farm winters 11,000 stock units.

Rotongaio Station was bought by the Crown (government) off the Maori Tuhoe in the early 1900’s for returned service men from the First World War. The Crown sold it to the Horn family in 1928, and Horizon Trust brought it from them in 1997 and has carried out a large development process over the last ten years.

The Station has some unique features.
There are two lakes:
1) Rotongaio is a wild fowl breeding lake and also has a large native eel population (two types – short fin and long fin).
2) Lake Rotoroa (Lodge Lake) is spring-fed by the streams, and has a large Rainbow trout population which has one of the best growth rates for trout in New Zealand. The average trout size is 5lbs with trout reportedly landed up to 15lbs - they breed up the stream at the end of the lake which is 60 foot deep.
On our northern boundary is the Waiou River – one of the best North Island fishing rivers with both Brown and Rainbow trout.
The station also has an abundance of bird life with more than 40 species.