Orongo Station is a 3,000-acre working sheep station and citrus farm on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island. The land holds deep historical significance as the landing site of the Great Migration of Māori people around 1100 CE, and later, in 1769, as a point of first contact between Captain Cook’s crew and the people of Aotearoa. In the centuries that followed, colonial settlement and unregulated grazing led to severe environmental degradation.
With approval from New Zealand Parliament and in close collaboration with environmental officials and Māori tribal leaders, NBW developed a comprehensive plan that integrates productive agriculture, ecological restoration, and culturally informed landscape design. The project reestablished regenerative farming practices, implemented a robust restoration regime to address over a century of ecological damage, and created a series of gardens shaped by vernacular traditions and the natural character of the New Zealand landscape.
Archaeological trace of a traditional Māori food storage pit
A key aspect of the project was the inclusion of Māori voices in the design process. In partnership with the local iwi, NBW helped restore a historic, still-active cemetery on the property. Traditional Māori earthworks — such as pā (fortified structures), food storage pits, and terraces — were preserved and thoughtfully revealed through landscape interventions.
More than 600,000 trees have been planted to initiate reforestation, while the station continues to operate as a more ecologically resilient and economically viable farm. Over 75 acres of fresh and saltwater wetlands were restored or constructed, enhancing biodiversity and habitat function. The restoration process also stimulated the local economy, supporting native plant nurseries and job opportunities in ecological stewardship.
By weaving together cultural and ecological restoration with ongoing agricultural production, Orongo Station stands as a national model for sustainable land management.
