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    Christchurch

    Lake Heron Station

    An authentic NZ ranch retreat

    Lake Heron Station is a high country working farm located in a remote spot in the Southern Alps of New Zealand’s South Island. It is an authentic, family owned ranch where you can experience real New Zealand high country life first-hand.

    The accommodation is quite simple, a lovingly restored 3-bedroom cottage, but the setting is anything but sitting as it does surrounded by 19,600 hectares (43,000 acre) of ranchland set in a stunning basin, with a backdrop of glaciated mountains, tussock-covered hills, beech clad valleys and scenic Lake Heron.

    There’s also the ‘New Hut’, built in 1923, accessible only accessible on foot, bike or by 4WD, updated as an eco cabin that is now a wonderful base for an exclusive high country sojourn.

    Adventure, relaxation, and farm life are the heart of a visit to a Lake Heron Station, whether hiking, fishing, biking and kayaking in the summer, picking mushrooms in the autumn, skiing and skating on a frozen pond come winter or witnessing the lambing season in the spring.

    Highlights

    Hiking

    Mountain biking

    Fishing

    Exploring the farm

    3-bedroom cottage

    New hut

    Ready to plan your adventure?

    Whatever you want from your trip, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.

    Plan your trip to Christchurch

    Whatever you want from your adventure in Christchurch, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.

    Places to combine Lake Heron Station with

    Annandale

    New Zealand

    Annandale

    Nestled among the rolling hills of the Banks Peninsula are Annandale’s four luxury villas. Each one has its own unique character and enjoys an idyllic and secluded location within the a 40,000-acre working coastal farm.

    A stay at Annandale allows you to totally immerse yourself in this most incredible of landscapes. On arrival, you will be driven cross-country to your private villa where you can enjoy total seclusion.

    The Homestead and Scrubby Bay are perfect for families and groups, sleeping up to 12 and 14 guests respectively. The Homestead, built in the 1800s, features an outdoor swimming pool and floodlit tennis court and is surrounded by beautiful gardens, where guests are free to pick flowers from the borders and lemons from the tree.

    Scrubby Bay is a cedar-clad beach house that looks out over its own private bay. Cosy up in front of the open fire, take a dip in the outdoor pool or simply relax on the decking and gaze out across the water.

    The most romantic of them all, Seascape features a glass facade so you can make the very best of the incredible ocean views, and the outdoor lounge area with fireplace means you can appreciate your surroundings all year round. The Shepherd’s Cottage is perched on a hill overlooking the sea and the Kaikoura Ranges, a real rural retreat with an open fireplace, wooden ceilings and sheepskin rugs.

    The farm is home to 500-strong herd of cattle and around 14,000 sheep and various vegetables, fruits and herbs are grown on their land. There is the option to hire a private chef or you can enjoy the ‘We Create, You Serve’ programme where breakfast, a picnic lunch and three-course dinner are prepared and left in your fridge for you to simply pop in the oven and enjoy.

    Although Annandale’s villas are a chance to escape, there are also a host of activities so you can make the most of the incredible surroundings. Hike through the rolling hills, take to the water in a kayak or explore the rugged terrain on a 4WD adventure – the list is endless.

    Ariel view of waves breaking on a forested shoreline