Mount Linton is one of New Zealand’s largest privately-owned agribusinesses. Though not the country’s largest station in area, its stock numbers separate it from all the rest as one of the great properties in pastoral N.Z.

The Station is on the eastern side of the Takitimu Mountains in Western Southland. It ranges from 120 metres to 800 metres, with most of the property being below 500 metres.

The station itself is 12,145 hectares with 4,500 ha in developed grassland, 4,500 ha in over sown tussock country, 425 ha in exotic forest plantations and the remaining 2,720 ha is native tussock.

Mount Linton’s activities are vertically integrated, from genetics through to production and marketing, with the main income base being sheep, with lamb the major earner.

The Ohai / Nightcaps Lions Club wishes to thank the owners, Manager Ceri Lewis and the staff for making available this iconic property and for their support of the Mt Linton Muster.

Mt Linton’s history began in 1856. The long struggle to develop the high country property was undertaken in the best spirit of colonial New Zealand. A Tasmanian, John Bogle made the original application for 80,000 acres of land and started with 2,248 sheep on the run.

Successive owners faced a series of hardships including great floods, heavy snowfalls and rabbits which forced two men off the property, one of whom was Scot William Clark, the originator of Mt Linton’s brand, still in use today.

In 1903 W.S. McGregor bought the station. The carrying capacity increased and a more robust type of sheep was bred to withstand the cold winters. His son, Noel, succeeded him and he was regarded as a pioneer in land development in N.Z. The use of new mechanical technology that followed World War II, and aerial topdressing, transformed the property.

The present owners have continued the drive to extend the productive capacity of the land. The Station has an enviable record in the loyalty of staff. These factors coupled with the shareholders philosophy of always looking forward have taken the Station through new frontiers in sheep and cattle breeding.

Mount Linton’s strengths are its people and its balance of breeding and finishing country. Under constant review is their land use and land portfolio.