High Peak Station wins Environmental Award - run by the Guild Family

The Guild family business High Peak Station’s dedication to conservation and sustainability was recognised at the 2024 Ballance Farm Environment Awards. The Awards are held by the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust (NZFET), which champions sustainable farming practices and environmental stewardship. During 2023, High Peak entered the Ballance Farm Environment Awards, becoming the regional supreme winner for the Canterbury region and went on to the National Sustainability Showcase in Hamilton on 20 June. High Peak was selected as the winner of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy, with Hamish and Simon Guild named as National Ambassadors for Sustainable Farming and Growing.

Over the past 13 years, Old Girl Gemma Guild (nee Grigg) and her husband Hamish have managed High Peak’s farm enterprise. Hamish’s brother Simon has built up the tourism arm of the business, and sister-in-law Amelia and her husband Tom run the apiary. 

The level of business diversification is what impressed the judges. Early on, High Peak realised it would have been detrimental to the land and animals to simply increase the number of livestock to farm the land. Through the increase in low volume/high spend tourism, the pressure is taken off the farming enterprise, enabling the business to make biodiversity a priority and further protect their waterways and covenant areas of the property. High Peak have installed water storage by way of a spring-fed lake, which has the dual purpose of providing water for irrigation and providing a picturesque backdrop for visitors. Conservation benefits the whole family as they can fish, hunt, camp, hike, bike, ride, swim, water ski, and occasionally snow ski, all from their own home.

Hamish's parents, James and Anna bought the farm in the 1970s and have maintained an advisory role when their grown-up children came home. Gemma says, “It works as everyone has their separate areas of responsibility, I'm more of an organiser and quite happy working behind the scenes making sure the office runs smoothly, my primary responsibilities are accounts, HR, payroll and health and safety. My latest project is a line of lambswool blankets made from High Peak Perendale wool and manufactured in Europe. These are targeted at our international tourists, but we've realised there is local demand for them too.”

Climate resilience is the next focus for the Guilds, watching with interest the science that will help to build this, such as adopting weather-tolerant pasture species while also exploring ways to enhance infrastructure to ensure the business is adaptable to climate change and the impact of severe weather. High Peak lost over 40 fences, six bridges and the majority of its lanes after the Canterbury floods. Considerable resources have been put into building back stronger and looking at ways to mitigate the effects of future events.