The story of Tara Hills high-country research

Abstract

The 3340 ha Tara Hills high-country station near Omarama was a Government owned research facilitybetween 1948 and 2005. Here we present the story of the rise and fall of Tara Hills; turned from a depletedwasteland into the vibrant research centre of the 1980s, it was eventually sold to commercial interests in theearly 2000s. By the early 1980s, Tara Hills had 14 permanent staff and was internationally recognised as amodel for dryland farm development, experimentation and demonstration. However, subsequent changes inemphasis for New Zealand farming resulted in a decline in dryland research and to the inevitable sale of thishigh-country station. We summarise the broad range of research and its outcomes associated with Tara Hills,spanning soils, pasture species, their establishment and production, irrigation, grazing management,animal breeds, animal production and genetics, and farm systems. The changing face of New Zealand’sagricultural research and extension is an integral part of this story.