About Southland Working Farm Tour
Friendly farm animals wander across the paddock to greet new arrivals, with green Southland farmland stretching towards the mountains beyond. Inside the restored woolshed, sheep shearing, skilled working dogs and the warmth of local hospitality bring rural life vividly into view.
The Story of This Place
The Southland Working Farm Tour is at a 220-acre working support farm near Te Anau. At its heart stands a fully restored, historic woolshed where visitors can experience a living part of New Zealand’s agricultural heritage. The farm’s hosted visits connect traditional skills with modern discussions about animal welfare, land management and the changing farming industry.
Cultural Significance
Farming remains an important part of life around Te Anau, where tourism, conservation and rural industries exist side by side. At this farm, local hospitality and knowledge offer visitors a personal connection with Southland’s agricultural identity and the people who continue to shape it.
The Experience of Visiting
Meet the farm animals outside, with opportunities to get close, interact and take photographs before seeing a real working farm in action. Continue into the restored woolshed for live sheep-shearing and working-dog demonstrations. Afterwards, sit down with a local farmer for an informal farm talk, with time to ask questions, share a few laughs and hear firsthand experiences of rural life in Southland.
Natural Features
The working farm’s open paddocks sit within Southland’s rural landscape near Te Anau, with mountain scenery rising beyond the property. Hand-reared animals graze around the farm, adding to the character of this working rural environment.
Good to Know
- The farm forms part of a working agricultural environment rather than existing solely as a visitor attraction.
- The hosted experience brings together animal encounters, traditional demonstrations and insights into everyday farm life.
- The experience is designed to be relaxed and hands-on, with a local farmer leading the visit.
Stories Shared Along the Way
The farm talk offers an honest local perspective on New Zealand agriculture. Alongside facts and figures, the farmer shares personal stories and opinions shaped by growing up in the area, giving visitors a more human understanding of life on the land.
Little-Known Facts
Seasonal gardens and mazes offer more to explore around Woodstone Farm beyond its animals and farming demonstrations.
The farm is home to alpacas, sheep, cows and chickens, each with its own distinctive personality.
One Thing to Know
More than a demonstration, the experience offers a personal introduction to the animals, people and everyday life of a working Southland farm.