Molesworth Station is a high country cattle station. It is located behind the Inland Kaikōura Mountain range in the South Island's Marlborough District. It is New Zealand's largest farm, at over 1,800 square kilometres (440,000 acres)[1] and supports the country's biggest herd of cattle. It also hosts government science programs, such as research into bovine tuberculosis and related research into possums.[2] The station helps rabbit population reduction.[3]
The present station was formed in 1949 when a third station, St Helens, was added to Tarndale and Molesworth stations which had been amalgamated in 1938 after the runholders "walked off" the land. The three stations had once run around 95,000 head of sheep. The land was brought back into production by a major investment in rabbit control followed by revegetation of the barren ground. Cattle replaced the sheep.[4]
The land is owned by the Crown and is leased for farming. On 1 July 2005, administration of the land was handed to the New Zealand Department of Conservation.[1]
The HVDC Inter-Island transmission line passes through the station.
- ^ a b Clark, Mathew (29 August 2006). "Mathew Clark: Sharing our land's bounty". The New Zealand Herald. pp. 2 of 2. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
- ^ "Scientists make progress in war on TB". The New Zealand Herald. 9 February 2005. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
- ^ Department of Conservation accessed 23 February 2019
- ^ Department of Conservation Molesworth Recreation Reserve accessed 21 August 2021