Farm: Tawapata South, Onenui Station
Where: Mahia Peninsula, East Coast, NZ
Iwi: Ngāti Kahungunu, Wairoa rohe
Size: 3,475 ha
Stock Units: 15,000
Team: 4 full-time staff
Shareholders: Over 2,000
Recognition: 2025 Ahuwhenua Trophy second finalist – Māori Excellence in Sheep and Beef Farming
Onenui Station is about as remote as it gets – sitting right at the end of the Mahia Peninsula. It’s rugged, beautiful, and deeply connected to Māori history. For generations, this land has belonged to the people of Tawapata South Incorporation.
But for a long time, it wasn’t delivering value. The land was there, the shareholders were there (over 2,000 of them), but the farm wasn’t making money. The board knew it couldn’t stay that way.
Then Rocket Lab showed up.
When farming meets space launches
Rocket Lab needed a launch pad. They wanted somewhere remote, flat, and accessible. Onenui Station ticked every box. They signed a commercial agreement with Tawapata South that benefits both parties.
The extra income gave Tawapata South the funds to develop the farm. But it wasn’t just about money. Rocket Lab also sealed the road, supported local events, and made sure their staff respected the whenua and the people who care for it. It’s a partnership that’s worked both ways.
Whā Pou (Four pillars)
With the Rocket Lab partnership backing them, Tawapata South put a plan in place based on four pou (pillars):
Tangata – Looking after people
Tikanga – Respecting cultural practices
Taiao – Protecting the environment
Tahua – Building financial strength
And it’s working. In just over a decade, they’ve transformed the farm.
What’s changed?
The flats: Productive and fertile, but often too dry. They added lucerne to the forage rotation. It handles the conditions better and helps stock grow fast.
The coastline: Once unfenced and risky for livestock wandering onto beaches. Now fully fenced – protecting stock and sensitive coastal areas.
The steep country: This is some of the toughest terrain. The team developed a smart system to develop it: burn off scrub, wait a year, then oversow by helicopter with grass and fertiliser. It's paying off. And they’ve done it by the book, with full environmental sign-off.
Looking ahead
Today, Tawapata South is almost through its development phase. The land is productive, the shareholders are seeing value, and the whole operation is run with respect for the land and its history.
It's a story of perseverance, smart thinking, and doing right by the whenua – with a little help from space tech.
