Patearoa Station in the Maniototo, settled by the Beatties 100 years ago, is on the market, and for the first time in 86 years, Mount Pisa Station between Cromwell and Wanaka is being offered for sale by the MacMillan family.
Mt Pisa, a 4472ha freehold high country station, has been run as a traditional sheep and cattle property carrying 9000 stock units, but according to PGG Wrightson Real Estate, it also has potential for horticulture.
Production has been focused on livestock breeding, finishing prime stock and merino fine wool, but access to water, soil quality and microclimates lend it to diversifying into crops such as cherries, apricots, apples, grapes and olives.
Fine wool sheep have been Mt Pisa's long-term production focus, with a bale of 14 micron wool topping New Zealand sales in 2005 at $145 a kg.
Mt Pisa has been in the MacMillan family since 1924 when the father of the present owner, Murray MacMillan, bought the lease.
It was made freehold in 2005.
Patearoa Station covers 4300ha from the Taieri River south of Patearoa, rising into the Rock and Pillar Range.
There is 1862ha freehold and 2420ha leasehold.
The farm, which was split from the massive Patearoa Run in 1904 and settled by W. E. Beattie in 1910, currently carries 3500 sheep and cattle stock units.
Both farms are being marketed by PGG Wrightson, with Patearoa being offered by auction on November 26, and Mt Pisa by private treaty by December 10.