Along with his two elder brothers, Malcolm McCorkindale travelled from Scotland to Waitahuna, South Otago in 1867.
Within a couple of years, and before New Zealand’s system of legal title was established in the 1870s, he acquired land to farm. That land, Glenside, has remained in the McCorkindale family ever since, currently in the hands of Malcolm’s great great grandson Garry, and his wife Julene.
Now amounting to 752 hectares, with a much more substantial holding having grown around it, that original McCorkindale land is offered for sale for the first time ever.
Of all the family’s farming generations, Garry McCorkindale reckons Glenside made most progress during the tenure of his father Trevor.
“He was an excellent farmer, and relatively young when he took over. He also had 30 years here when farming was at its peak. That was a golden age, running from the Korean War wool boom of the early 1950s through until the Lange government of 1984 ended government support for agriculture. During that time, the farm did extremely well.
“That success enabled Dad to break in and cultivate all the farm’s remaining tussock country, as well as consolidating by purchasing neighbouring blocks. A new woolshed and the covered, combined sheep and cattle yards were establishedin the 1970s.
The holding grew to 1600 hectares before being split as part of succession planning. In contrast, our tenure since the early 2000s has focused on becoming more intensive: subdividing and consistently applying fertiliser to enable greater stock weights.
“We have doubled the number of paddocks, facilitating the planting of gullies, and putting over ten per cent of the farm into forestry. We also grow red clover and summer brassicas to finish lambs to higher weights, and ensure the farm is resilient to the changing climate,” says Garry.
Part of the Glenside operation is the family’s Simmental stud, first established in 1985, which via PGG Wrightson Livestock, recently hosted its 34th on-farm bull sale. The terminal sire has been popular, with commercial bulls selling as far as North Canterbury, and stud bulls throughout New Zealand.
“We have been breeding a line of black Simmentals for the past 12 years. We believe they have a bigger part to play in New Zealand’s beef sector and see advantages in them as a maternal rather than a terminal breed. With a smaller frame, good growth rates, a moderate mature size and top-end carcass traits, that is the way Simmentals are used in the United States, which is where the genetics in our herd are from. We are gradually starting to see uptake from the industry, though it is a long game,” says Garry.
With two non-farming adult sons now based in Australia and Europe, over 150 years of the McCorkindale family on Glenside will end when Garry and Julene part with the farm.
Craig Bates of PGG Wrightson Real Estate, Otago is offering it to the market. He says Glenside is a long-admired property.
“Glenside was one of the inaugural century farms, recognised when what is now a national programme was launched locally in Lawrence in 2005, at which point it had been in the family 137 years.
“A well-developed and balanced sheep and beef unit in the popular and productive Waitahuna district, Glenside is located 14 kilometres south of Lawrence, with an easy run to Dunedin Balclutha and Milton, all on sealed roads.
Along with the 105 stud cows, the property traditionally runs 5000 mixed age Romdale ewes plus replacements. Glenside’s impressive four-bedroom homestead was built in 2005, while the property also features a three-bedroom manager’s house, plus the original four-bedroom home. A full range of farm buildings include a Calder Stewart three stand wool shed, while the covered sheep and cattle yards host the annual Glenside Bull Sale.
Well fenced and encompassing several woodlots and shelter plantings Glenside has balanced contour and reliable rainfall. Farms of this size and calibre are difficult to find in this respected location.
Glenside is available to view, and on the market by deadline sale, with offers sought by 13 November.
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