The Southern Estate, is an aggregation of 5 forests located South of Dunedin in the Otago region. Having a total net stocked area of over 585 hectares planted predominantly in Pinus radiata with an age class range of 1997 to 2023 for all but a few remnant stands, including approximately 26.3 hectares of minor species.
The estate is mostly first rotation forests covering a net stocked area of some 422 hectares with the balance being second rotation. All are registered or currently being registered in the ETS with approximately 565.2 hectares under averaging and a further 210.6 under Stock Change.
Rutherford Forest, is a 294.9 hectare forest located on Rutherford Road, southwest of the Waitahuna settlement. Rutherford has been established as a Pinus radiata forest with a small area of macrocarpa and natives. The age class range sees a small area of 1985 -1997 and 2007 with most of the establishment being carried out between 2021 and 2023.
Closer to Dunedin we find Table Hill Forest, located on Cowie Road, a very short distance from the Milton township. This 127-hectare forest was established over 2021 and 2022 on a very easy contour with its location placing it very close to domestic sawmills.
The is also a group of second rotation forests totaling 168 hectares net stocked of which the majority are registered in the ETS under Stock Change.
First in this group is Bells Bush Forest, located near the Waihola settlement. This forest has an area of 110.3 hectares with the re-plant occurring over the 2021 and 2022 planting seasons. Included is just over 10 hectares of Manuka also established in 2022, which the Purchaser could chose to plant in a production species.
The remaining forests, Taieri View 17 & 18 are adjacent to each other, being close to Mosgiel, off the Taieri View Road. Lot 17 was re-established in 2018 and has a stocked area of 28.9 hectares which includes a small stand of 1992 Macrocarpa while Lot 18 has an area of 27.9 hectares, all of which is 2020 age class.
The Southern Estate forests have great access and are in prime locations, with cart distances ranging from 33km to 115 km to Port Chalmers and 4.8 km to 54 km to the domestic processing options being Gorton Timber Sawmill at Milton, Stuarts Timber at Tapanui, and PanPac at Milburn.
The forests all have excellent environmental profiles, with 71.8% of the Estate on land class 6 with the remainder spread over classes 4 and 3 with a small portion of 2, given this they all have an easy to moderate contour with a very low risk of erosion.
Having a high percentage of ground base harvest coupled with the economic cart distances and the current carbon revenue makes The Southern Estate a lucrative package that should not be missed.
For full information including access to the dataroom contact George Searle or Todd Buchanan at NZ Forest Sales.
