Matangi Station is on the market for the first time in just over a century, and co-owner John Sanders is blaming the past Labour Government for trying to “crucify” farms over the past five years.

He said despite National now being in power, it had come too late for the Sanders family.

“I’ll be almost 73 by the time they make any decent changes,” he said.

Proud supporters of the Groundswell NZ movement, he said Labour had destroyed both dairy and sheep farming with too much red tape, and it was no longer a viable business for many people.

The farm had diversified in recent years with a new mountain bike park (Matangi MTB), and he said it would be up to the new owners on whether they continued that or not.

John’s son Brett and wife Helen currently look after that side of the business, and in 2023 hosted the ‘enduro’ section of the Crankworx Summer Series in New Zealand.

Son Mark Sanders and family also work on the farm and third son Tony lives locally working for a stock company.

John and Mary-Liz Sanders, of Matangi Station.

John and wife Mary-Liz said they don’t yet know what their plans are once they sell the station.

"It could take at least 12 months,” he said.

John’s grandfather acquired the Crown pastoral lease for the 11,400 hectare station in September 1923 - mainly focused on growing fine wool from a flock that traces back to the original Central Otago merinos of 160 years ago.

Situated behind Alexandra’s clock on the hill, stretching through to Little Valley and back towards Roxburgh, Matangi was originally part of Galloway Station, one of Central Otago’s pioneer runs, which was first established by Scottish brothers Watson and Alexander Shennan in 1858, and divided up in 1916.

Jack Sanders established the Matangi stud in 1940 when he bought half the stock from the dispersal of the Puketoi stud, first registered by pioneer Watson Shennan.

Some of the stud’s original sheep came from the King of Prussia’s Saxony stud in 1862. 

John Sanders' family have owned Matangi Station for 100 years.

Matangi wool ends up in fabric used by big names in the fashion world such as Hugo Boss, Ermenegildo Zegna, Armani, Ralph Lauren and Gucci.

Brent Irving of PGG Wrightson Real Estate in Dunedin is marketing Matangi Station and has been involved with the Sanders for the past 40 years.

“My personal relationship with the property and the Sanders family spans some 40 years, starting out marketing the Matangi wool clip. Offering this property to the market, giving another custodian the chance to start a new era in the history of such majestic country is an exciting privilege,” he said.

“It’s quite unique and what we want to do after 100 years is put it to the market and allow the market and those interested to weigh up the options.”

The station has a deadline private treaty which closes on December 7.

National MP Joseph Mooney said, when contacted by The Central App, Matangi Station was a really special place farmed by an awesome family.

“They are a fine example of a passionate intergenerational family that work hard to achieve so many outcomes.”

He said the country has now chosen change and a Government that backs farmers “in a big way.”

“Farmers are important for our communities and our economy, and we need a strong economy to pay for the public services that everyone wants. And, they deserve recognition for their efforts.

“We have the world’s most carbon efficient farmers. They are quite phenomenal.”

He said the Government needed to get out of farming and agreed there had been way too much red tape, that had made farmers lives incredibly difficult.

PHOTOS: PGG Wrightson