In 2016, the Loughnan family was looking at ways in which they could diversify their North Canterbury farming operation to generate a non-farming income stream and also mitigate against the region’s notorious droughts. Just 15 minutes south of Cheviot in the Blythe Valley, Tawanui Farm, is owned by Mike and Elspeth Loughnan and has been in Elspeth’s family for five generations.
The farm is also home to 2,500 stock units and is run as a trading and finishing operation, with crossbred lambs and beef cattle. Just five minutes from the Hurunui River, the family were passionate jetboaters, and fresh with new and innovative ideas, Tim Loughnan, suggested to his parents that jetboat tours down the Hurunui would be a perfect step into agritourism.
“Following a year’s development we launched Energy Jet,” says Tim. “We’re the only operator on the Hurunui, and usually do a 45-minute trip, with the premier trip including a riverside BBQ. Each trip is very customisable though. We have access right to the river mouth where it goes out to the Pacific Ocean, which is pretty unique.”
When the jetboating business grew in momentum, the family decided to add accommodation to complement the experience, and Tawanui Farm Glamping was added to the growing agritourism operation. Surrounded by kanuka and pine plantations, the campsite is set on rolling farmland and includes two geodesic domes, a central camp kitchen and a large hot tub, sensitively landscaped into a gentle hillside.
“The domes have big clear windows on the front, framing the sunrise or the night sky. They look down onto the Hurunui River, with the inland Kaikoura ranges above that – there are amazing views, especially from the hot tub, and that’s the whole appeal. We can accommodate anywhere from two people up to a group of eight, and guests get exclusive use of the whole campsite. People drive up to the site, but we always meet them there, as part of the personal guest experience.”
“People can book the jetboating, accommodation and farm tour as a package, or they can book them individually.”
The next step in the family’s agritourism journey was to introduce Tawanui Farm Experiences, where visitors can take a tour of the farm on a six-seater Polaris side-by-side, accompanied by the farm’s working dogs. “We make sure the guests see the dogs working the sheep and finish with hand feeding some pet sheep and alpacas. People can book the jetboating, accommodation and farm tour as a package, or they can book them individually. We’ve also started greeting busloads of visitors at the woolshed, where they can see the dogs working the sheep, and we finish shearing a sheep.”
Buoyed with the success of their venture into agritourism as a viable diversification from the mainstream farming operation, the Loughnan family is now building another glamping site which will include an A-Frame cabin exclusively for couples. “It will have similar views but the next level in luxury,” says Tim.
“That project will be completed in the next couple of months, and we think it will have appeal to the overseas market.” While Tim and his wife Jaymie look after the agritourism side, and Mike and Elspeth run the farm operation, they all cross over to help each other during busy periods.
© Waterford Press Ltd 2024 – Independent Print Media New Zealand
