Ongaha

03/06/2026

“The balance is starting to return.” 🌱🐑

Ongaha Farm is a 580-hectare sheep, beef and cropping property in South Wairarapa, bordered by the Ruamāhanga River. Since purchasing the farm, Shane and Lynette McManaway have fenced kilometres of waterways, planted tens of thousands of native plants, restored wetlands, and introduced water quality monitoring from the top of the farm to the bottom.

Around 30 hectares of native bush has been protected and underplanted, more than 75,000 natives have been planted across the farm, and former wet, marginal areas are now thriving habitats. The results speak for themselves, with improved water quality, the return of longfin tuna, frogs, watercress, tūī, kererū, and even rare royal spoonbills now calling the farm home.

Senior Environmental Restoration Advisor Kolja Schaller and the wider Greater Wellington team have worked with Shane and Lynette since 2021 and together, they’ve shown what’s possible when farming and environmental restoration go hand in hand.

Watch the full video in the link below. 👇

13/05/2026

13/05/2026

“We want to make sure that this place can keep going forever.” 🌱🐦
At Ongaha Farm in South Wairarapa, Shane and Lynette McManaway are proving that you can farm intensively while restoring the environment at the same time. From fencing waterways to planting native bush and wetlands, their focus is on building a resilient farm system that supports healthy land, water and wildlife.

In this video, Shane shares why caring for the whenua and waterways has always mattered, what they set out to change, and the signs they’re now seeing as nature responds. Along the way, they’ve worked closely with our Senior Environmental Restoration Advisor, Kolja Schaller, who supports landowners with practical, on‑farm advice to help turn good intentions into lasting outcomes.

This is the next video in our series showcasing how we work alongside farmers across Wairarapa and the wider region to restore and protect the environment.

Watch the full video in the link below. 👇

15/03/2026

Life on Ongaha lately

05/03/2026

The boys put in the hard yards to shear a line of wooly trade lambs yesterday. Well done to Liam Herbert for cracking his first 100 in 7 hours. Good mind game for a Thursday

14/02/2026

A bit of life lately. We’ve been spoiled by this season! Beef + Lamb New Zealand

07/02/2026

Such an amazing experience with some eye opening visits. This trip highlighted the way that accessible water can open up options for our farm business. Thanks to Zimmatic by Lindsay and all their farmers for this incredible experience.

Customer story | Ongaha

Ongaha is a diverse trading and cropping property with a sheep breeding component, located in South Wairarapa. With 182 hectares currently irrigated and further development planned, efficiency and sustainability are central to every decision they make.

Those efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. In 2025, Ongaha was recognised at the Trailblazer Sustainable Irrigation Awards, taking out the Environmental Stewardship & Community Award for their commitment to efficient land use, restoration of strategic areas, and strong community involvement.

Owners Shayne and Lynette, alongside Farm Manager Nico, are firm believers in continuous improvement, making smart decisions that benefit both the farm and the environment. A key part of this approach is embracing modern technology, including Zimmatic by Lindsay irrigation solutions, and working closely with industry experts.

Last spring, Nico joined the Trailblazer Sustainable Irrigation Study Tour, gaining first-hand insight into how technology, scale and innovation are shaping irrigation practices around the world. The tour offers participants a unique global perspective on water management, agriculture and environmental stewardship.

“As a Trailblazer award recipient, the tour really quantified the value of water and how important it is to have and to use it wisely. It aligned with our goals and visions of using water sustainably and efficiently, but also that you can grow many other crops other than grass, with the risk mitigation of being able to grow with water.”

While the tour delivered many insights, one takeaway stood out above the rest.

“It reinforced the importance of fully utilising the technology that’s already available. We’re now installing FieldNET across all our pivots and switching to specific Nelson sprinklers to address long-standing issues like iron build-up.”

Congratulations to Shayne, Lynette and Nico on their continued leadership in sustainable irrigation and farm management. 👏

30/01/2026

Happy heifers lapping up some fresh baleage on their chicory break

26/01/2026

Get your applications in, or tell your shepherd to get amongst it. Such a great award to be a part of, let alone win. Share it around the Wairarapa.
Cheers