Sustainability

Our practices

We take care to farm intentionally, in a way that protects the soil, waterways, native plants and animals that make New Zealand special. Our animals, including sheep, goats, alpacas, and donkeys, are well looked after with plenty of space to roam and live comfortably.

Possums are a serious pest here, causing significant damage to native forests and threatening birds like the kiwi. By selling possum fur products, blended with merino wool, we help manage their population and support the protection of our native wildlife. It is a practical way to turn a problem into something useful.

We are also conscious of our energy and water use and always look for ways to be more efficient and reduce our footprint. Waste reduction is important to us too. Where possible we recycle and compost. Food scraps from the cafe do not go to waste as they are fed to our pigs, closing the loop on our kitchen waste.

We grow seasonal vegetables in our campground garden which supplies fresh local produce for the cafe’s farm to table menu. It is all part of keeping things connected and sustainable across the whole farm experience.

We also have bees on the farm. The honey they produce is available to buy in our gift shop. It’s a small way we support native pollinators and share a taste of the farm with our visitors.

Wool is cool

Wool is a 100% natural, renewable fibre that completely breaks down in the environment, unlike polyester which is made from fossil fuels and takes hundreds of years to decompose. Our gift shop features wool products and sheepskins, which come from the meat industry as a byproduct - making good use of the whole animal and reducing unnecessary waste.

Social sustainability

Sheepworld is now owned by Springboard, a charity based on site investing in young people who need extra support through life changing principles, skills and mentors. 100% of profits from Sheepworld go to supporting Springboard’s mission in our local community. Learn more here.

Our promises and standards

We follow the Tiaki Promise, which is about caring for New Zealand and its people. We have Qualmark Silver status, which means we meet sustainable tourism standards. We have plans to continue improving our sustainability practices, like cutting waste, measuring our carbon output, buying more local products, and planting more native trees.

How you can help

Please stick to the farm rules to keep our animals and the land safe. Use the correct bins around the park and bring your own water bottle or reusable cup if you can. Choosing local and sustainable products from our shop helps us keep doing what we do.

Thanks for supporting our sustainable journey!