140ha rural block in northwest Auckland for sale
A 140ha rural block for sale in northwest Auckland presents an opportunity to establish a new commercial forest with significant carbon earning potential.
Kaipara Hills is bare land used for grazing but was previously a commercial forest.
The land was deforested before
2008 and is now classified as post1989 land under the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).
A new forest would classify as a land-use change, making the property eligible for the new ‘average’ carbon accounting method.
Warwick Searle, forestry director at Colliers International, says: “The land is ideally suited for reforestation, given its altitude, contour, location and proximity to key processing destinations.
“There is already significant harvest infrastructure in place from the previous harvest, including roading and skid sites. The roads have been well maintained and are frequently used for farming operations.Kaipara Hills comprises some 140ha, subject to survey, off Kaipara Hills Rd, about
4km from State Highway 16. It is for sale by tender closing at 4pm on Thursday, December 12.
The property is 70km from the Auckland CBD and 112km from Whangarei.
Angus Robertson, forestry broker at Colliers International, says: “The Auckland and Northland regions are well known for producing highquality, high-yielding forestry crops.
“As a result, both regions are rich in domestic processing facilities and have their own efficient export ports.
“The regions also enjoy strong forestry labour forces, including professional managers and contractors.
“This makes Kaipara Hills a superb opportunity to establish a forest in an area well set up.” Among the key processing destinations are:
• Carter Holt Harvey, which has a laminated veneer timber plant at Marsden Pt and a sawmill in Whangarei;
• Marusumi, which operates a full log chipping facility in Whangarei;
• Pinepac, which operates two Auckland sawmills, comprising a construction and outdoor timber plant in Whenuapai and a post and pile plant in Kumeu;
• Northpine, which operates a sawmill in Waipu, where radiata pine is kiln dried, gauged, stress tested, treated, strapped and wrapped;
• Northsawn Lumber, which processes and treats radiata pine at Marsden Pt;
• Rosvall Sawmill in Whareoa, which specialises in cutting radiata pine, targeting clearwood and structural production.
In addition, there are two nearby ports for exporting raw and processed timber. Northport at Marsden Pt is New Zealand’s northernmost multipurpose port and the closest to most of New Zealand’s export log markets. The Ports of Auckland handles a variety of breakbulk cargo, and containerised logs.
Searle says forestry is New Zealand’s third biggest export industry, after dairy and meat.
“The country has 1.7m hectares of productive, sustainable plantation forest, about 90 per cent of which comprises radiata pine.
“As New Zealand transitions to a low-emissions economy, the important role that forests and trees play is growing.”