Podcasts about Wairarapa

On today's REX Daily Podcast, Dom talks with Shane McManaway, the newly appointed Chair of Growing Future Farmers, about his decision to take on the role, strengthening the future of NZ's primary sector and his wife Lynette's Wairarapa-based enterprises, including Gold Creek Charolais and Deer farm, Ongaha Station and Five Rivers Medical... He talks with Ben Picton, Rabobank Senior Macro Strategist, about a new report providing an economic update for New Zealand, which reveals how growth from agriculture is proving to be the catalyst for a broader economic recovery... And he talks with Craig Smith, Wānaka A&P Society board member, about the upcoming show (13-14 March), the expansion of the Gallaway Cook Allan Agri Exchange for 2026 and the revamped Scapegrace Show Bar. Tune in daily for the latest and greatest REX rural content on your favourite streaming platform, visit rexonline.co.nz and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for more.

Dom talks with Shane McManaway, the newly appointed Chair of Growing Future Farmers, about his decision to take on the role, strengthening the future of NZ's primary sector and his wife Lynette's Wairarapa-based enterprises, including Gold Creek Charolais and Deer farm, Ongaha Station and Five Rivers Medical. Tune in daily for the latest and greatest REX rural content on your favourite streaming platform, visit rexonline.co.nz and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for more.

Residents of the storm smashed southern Wairarapa are assessing the damage after their homes and properties were inundated with floodwater. Torrential rain earlier this week caused widespread havoc across the lower North Island, knocking out power and cutting off access to rural and coastal settlements. Hundreds in the south of Wairarapa have been isolated after raging floodwaters took out two bridges, but one reopened last night, and the other just an hour ago. Mary Argue was there.

Some isolated Wairarapa residents are gutted they're cut off from their livelihoods and emergency services after a destructive storm ripped through the region on Sunday and Monday. Torrential rain and widespread flooding has washed out the Lake Ferry Road bridge over the Turangaui River - cutting off settlements in Ngawi, Lake Ferry and Cape Palliser. Meanwhile, thousands of homes are still without power across the Wairarapa region, as well as in Wellington. Ellen O'Dwyer reports.

Families in a Wairarapa community have been split and residents forced to scramble for supplies because their only access road has been washed away. Mary Argue reports.

Several Wairarapa coastal settlements are still cut off, after a single lane bridge was washed away during this week's widespread flooding. Rural Support Trust coordinator, Sarah Donaldson, has been working alongside emergency response teams and spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Communities in South Wairarapa remain cut off this morning, after torrential rain and galeforce winds downed trees, cut power to thousands, and closed roads across the North Island. South Wairarapa mayor Fran Wilde spoke to Corin Dann.

South Wairarapa weather update from Pirinoa Station's Guy Didsbury.

Piers discusses how the scrapping of the RMA could threaten Wairarapa's Dark Sky Reserve, the subscription based driver service that cold be a world first, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo on a safe life in Masterton and Greytown debuts a cocktail festival.

Making the most of the locally grown wheat was the driving force behind Monty and Sons, which uses duram wheat grown by the Wairarapa Grains Collective.

Former Wairarapa-Bush rugby CEO Tony Hargood is currently walking the length of the country to raise awareness and a few dollars for the NZ Rugby Foundation. The foundation provides holistic support to players whose lives have been changed by serious injury, and while they do run more standard fundraisers, Hargood decided to take a more unique approach. He's stopping at every Provincial Union home ground along the way and taking a kick at goal, with a plan to auction those balls off to raise money. Hargood told Piney there's probably easier ways to do this, but walking is all part of the fun and the journey. Follow his journey here. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Everything to keep you guys safe": New CEO of Air NZ comments on mass cancellations In the North Island, Red Wind Warnings are in place for Wellington and southern Wairarapa. There are extensive public transport and flight cancellations. Air New Zealand says it's already cancelled almost 100 flights today. CEO Nikhil Ravishankar says told Mike Hosking that it will only operate flights if it's safe to do so. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A compilation of songs for you to jam to over the festive season, featuring our 'Waiata o te wiki' from Eps 224 — 232. Track Listing: 00:00 - Taringa Are Are - Te Wānanga o Aotearoa (feat Big Hā & Annette Tūnoho) 03:00 - Ngā iwi o Muriwhenua - Muriwhenua Kapa Haka 1 at Te Rarawa Summit 2012 06:00 - Maranga Ake Ai - Aotearoa 09:24 - Pīki Whara - Panekeritanga group 2014 14:34 - Hiwa-i-te-rangi - Maisey Rika 18:33 - Taku manu mea - Te Rangiura o Wairarapa (2019 Matatini performance) 21:40 - Te Rina (Choral) - Ngāti Rangiwewehi - NZ Polynesian Festival 1981 24:33 - Tōku Wairua Tūturu Nei - Ranea Aperahama 28:29 - Whakaaria Mai - Maisey Rika 32:59 - Te Reo Hā - Te Reotakiwa Dunn

The wetlands and surrounding forests of Te Awarua o Porirua, or Porirua Harbour, were once rich food baskets for Ngāti Toa Rangatira. But decades of development throughout the catchment - large-scale deforestation, road and rail building and urban growth - have brought sediment and pollution into the harbour, damaging the habitat. Veronika Meduna meets some of the team working to restore the harbour to its former plenty.Sign up to the Our Changing World monthly newsletter for episode backstories, science analysis and more.Learn more:Julian Wilcox recently spoke to artists Jasmine Arthur and Te Rauparaha Horomona about Ngati Toa in Porirua and the opening of a new exhibition Mutumutu ki Mukukai Freshwater to Salt Water.Ngāti Toa Rangatira celebrated the return of their sacred maunga, Whitireia, to iwi ownership earlier this year.Alison Ballance visited both Porirua and Wairarapa in 2018 to explore how environmental impacts travel from the hills to the sea and what communities are willing to do to make their waterways cleaner and healthier again.Guests:Kaumatua Te Taku Parai, Ashleigh Sagar, Robert McLean and Jaida Howard of Ngāti Toa RangatiraBrian Thomas, Porirua City CouncilBryce and Jacqueline WatkinsLisa Casasanto and Jon Bluemel, Kahotea stream Restoration GroupJohn McKoy and Simon Glover, Guardians of Pauatahanui InletGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Wairarapa farmer and one of NZ’s leading sheep breeders. Today, he ponders the state of farming and our economy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wairarapa sheep farmer Paul Crick is one of hundreds out collecting poo samples from his flock as part of a national study testing for the presence of spores which cause facial eczema in sheep.You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.You can find more about the trial, here.With thanks to:Paul Crick, Sarah Riddy and Cara BrosnahanGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

We head to a Wairarapa farm to talk to one of the producers of a new movie currently being filmed - A Dog's Show - as we take a nostalgic trip back to the 1970s and an iconic Kiwi TV show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wairarapa Walking Festival is already underway, running through to Sunday 23 November. The festival takes in the region's varied urban and rural geography with a varied programme. To tell us more, organiser Celia Wade-Brown speaks to Emile Donovan. 

Wairarapa farm accountant, and 1995 NZ Sharemilker of the Year, who has been conducting the Rabobank farm succession workshops. The new series of workshops launched earlier this year to support farm succession planning is proving hugely popular with Kiwi farmers and growers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Piers discusses three accidental or unexpected deaths in the region over the weekend, one of Wairarapa's most successful businesses, Tranzit, marks 100 years.

In this story for the long-running programme Spectrum, first broadcast in 1972, Jack Perkins joins a Wairarapa shearing gang, on a farm near Masterton. It starts at the beginning of a day's shearing, with sounds of sheep in the yards, dogs barking and shepherd's whistling.You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Strong gusts of wind are felling trees and posing big challenges for farmers in south Wairarapa this afternoon. One of them, Mike McCreary, was out checking paddocks in his ute when he spoke with our rural reporter Sally Wenley.

In part two, it's to Wairarapa and an update for the weather event there. Then, marine safety experts are warning the government's new Cook Strait ferries will be too big to safely cross the current route to Picton. And finally, the first cohort of a new 'earn as you learn' programme for manufacturing jobs is about to graduate.

MetService says the strong winds that battered the South Island and lower North are now easing - but there are still a few things to keep an eye on. Red wind warnings have lifted for Canterbury, Southland, Stewart Island, Clutha, Wellington and Wairarapa. Widespread power outages remain across Canterbury, Wairarapa, Manawatu-Whanganui, Marlborough and Southland, where some repairs could take more than a week. The Country's Jamie Mackay unpacks the damage further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s Zanda McDonald Panel updates the weather in Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay, plus they encourage young leaders in agriculture to enter the Zanda McDonald Awards (entries close October 31). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The prospect of more ferocious winds has Wairarapa locals on the verge of tears on the eve of one of their biggest holiday weekends. A rare red-level wind warning has been issued tomorrow for Wellington and Wairarapa south of Carteron. It comes after the death of a man in Mount Victoria on Tuesday, who was struck by a falling tree and widespread damage causing power outages in communities across the region. Riversdale's coastal community is one of them. Mary Argue reports.

Mary Argue is in Featherston and spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

In the North Island, Red Wind Warnings are in place for Wellington and southern Wairarapa. There are extensive public transport and flight cancellations. Air New Zealand says it's already cancelled almost 100 flights today. CEO Nikhil Ravishankar says told Mike Hosking that it will only operate flights if it's safe to do so. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wairarapa high school has the good oil on olive growing, turning its crop into an award winning product. Wairarapa college took out silver at this year New Zealand Olive oil awards. Students are involved in the process; garden to table with the end product in high demand.

A woman who found a man lying unconscious on a popular Wellington walking track has described the horrific scene that confronted her today. The man later died of wounds suffered when a branch fell on him as gales howled through the capital, and Wairarapa. The wild winds have brought down trees, cut power to thousands of homes, cancelled flights, and torn roofs off buildings. Ellen O'Dwyer reports.

For centuries durum wheat has been recognised as the gold standard of wheats for making great pasta and bread. Much like the rest of our wheat supplies, almost all of it is imported. But, thanks to four families in the Wairarapa, that's beginning to change. Mick Williams from the Wairarapa Grain Collective talks to Jesse.

Tonight, on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Sarah Perrim-Lamp and Andie McCombs. First up, the government has reiterated plans to test 18 and 19 year old's benefits against their parents' incomes. Parents earning just over 65 thousand will be required to support their teenagers, instead of the taxpayer. Is this fair? Can't school leavers find work? Then, Alzheimer's Wairarapa says they are scratching their head over repeated rejected applications for Heath NZ funding. Why, they say, with an aging population are they missing out?

Earthquake strengthening on buildings in rural areas, the demolition of Masterton's town hall  and a  bumper year for wine production.  

We catch up with a Wairarapa farmer who’s just been inducted into the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For many of us, watching a movie will usually mean logging on to an on-line platform. However, an initiative in Wairarapa is aiming to rekindle the magic and nostalgia of enjoying classic movies as they were intended, on the big screen. The Wairarapa Cinematheque in Masterton opened its doors this month, screening classic films, Kiwi gems and cult favourites. Jane Ross spoke to Jesse.

Wairarapa farmer and high-profile leader in agribusiness who successfully lobbied the Government for a change of tune around agriculture in the school curriculum. He is also the founder of the Zanda McDonald Awards, which will be inducted into the Australian Stockman Hall of Fame next week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stargazers can now head to a new observatory in Wairarapa and take photos of far away galaxies and stars. 

Public hearings are underway on a proposal to close a popular paper road on the Wairarapa coastline due to vandalism and destruction. The paper road, which runs through both Crown and privately owned Maori land, provides access to a remote section of the Cape Palliser coast used by outdoor enthusiasts such as surfers, campers, and hunters. But the proposed bylaw, which would restrict access for up to three years to allow the whenua to heal, has provoked strong feelings from both those sides. Mary Argue reports.

Around the motu: Piers Fuller reports from the Wairarapa

In this episode of the AgCulture Podcast, Lisa Portas, a 2025 Nuffield Scholar and agribusiness director from New Zealand, explores the shifting economics of strong wool. She unpacks why synthetic fibers disrupted the market, what makes value-added wool promising again, and how infrastructure and accreditation could transform the sector. Discover how global travel is shaping her thinking on regenerative farming and supply chain reinvention. Listen now on all major platforms!Meet the guest: Lisa Portas is a director, former farm operator, and a 2025 Nuffield Scholar based in New Zealand's Wairarapa region. With over a decade of leadership in agribusiness diversification, she focuses on value chains, wool innovation, and export development. Her current research explores how strong wool producers can regain profitability through direct supply chains, farm-level practices, and global accreditation strategies.What you will learn: (00:00) Introduction(04:48) Strong wool economics(07:00) Infrastructure decline(10:12) Wool market innovation(14:09) Government policy shifts(18:20) Merino vs. strong wool(24:04) Closing thoughtsDiscover the world of agriculture with the "Ag Culture Podcast".  This podcast will be a gateway for those passionate about agriculture to explore its global perspectives and innovative practices.Join Paul as he shares his experiences in the agricultural industry, his travels and encounters with important figures around the world.Available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.Subscribe at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.agculturepodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and keep an eye out for future episodes, bringing insights and stories from the vibrant world of agriculture.

A campaign has been launched to help a rare snail find a mate. Ned, was unearthed in a Wairarapa garden earlier this month and found to be something quite special; a left handed snail. That's a snail that's shell spirals in anti-clockwise direction from its smallest point. The problem is, Ned will need to mate with another lefthanded snail, and New Zealand Geographic have launched a nation-wide snail hunt to help him find one. Illustrator, gardener and Ned's finde, Giselle Clarkson spoke to Lisa Owen.

Wairarapa farmer and philanthropist inducted into the NZ Business Hall of Fame. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the past year, Country Life has been in the yards or out in the paddock watching Wairarapa dog triallist Chris Shaw train up his latest working dog, Miley - a young Huntaway that's got that "X-factor". You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.Revisit our first meeting with Chris and Miley to see what progress she has made.You can also find previous training sessions to track her progress, here and here.With thanks to:Chris Shaw and Miley the HuntawayGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A rural mum and nurse has launched a collective to support rural mothers with newborn babies in the Wairarapa region Rural Mama Collective is the brainchild of mum of four Sarah Tatham, who struggled with isolation as a new mum herself. She tells Jesse how lonely it can be.

There are high hopes for a revival of Wairarapa's historic agricultural training facility with negotiations under way between the Crown and potential buyers. 

This Matariki, the stars align for Mark and Susannah Guscott - award winners bringing whakapapa and astronomy together on their sixth-generation Wairarapa farm. You can find photos and read more about this episode on our webpage, here.You can learn more about Glen Eden Farms, here. You can also learn more about their Star Safari, here.And for Whitimanuka Retreat, see here.In this episode:0:50 - Roots that run deep5:13 - Changing land uses7:27 - Whitimanuka11:40 - Sheep and beef18:09 - Star SafariWith thanks to:Mark and Susannah GuscottMake sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Want to chat to us or find out more about RNZ Podcasts? Join the RNZ Podcasts Discussion Facebook group where we share behind the scenes info about our series, and invite you to share feedback, recommendations and ask us questions.Send us your feedback or get in touch at country@rnz.co.nzGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Strong family support, innovation and a dash of good luck have seen the Harvey family of Wairarapa clock up a hundred years on Daisybank Farm near Martinborough. They're banking on a similar mix to see them through the next century. You can find photos and read more about this episode on our webpage, here.In this episode:1:02 - Life at Daisybank4:10 - The next generation takes over7:23 - 100 years of farming10:17 - 100 years of Harveys15:41 - Experience life on farmWith thanks to:Owen Harvey, John and Emma HarveyMake sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Want to chat to us or find out more about RNZ Podcasts? Join the RNZ Podcasts Discussion Facebook group where we share behind the scenes info about our series, and invite you to share feedback, recommendations and ask us questions.Send us your feedback or get in touch at country@rnz.co.nzGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Piers Fuller is the Editor of the Wairarapa Times-Age, based in Masterton.

Wairarapa dog triallist Chris Shaw breaks down the difference between heading dogs and Huntaway, like young pup Miley, and what they each do on farm.You can find photos and read more about this episode on our webpage, here.You can also find more about Rural Edge Contracting and Dog Training, here.You can catch more of Chris and Miley, including the first time we met them, here.With thanks to:Chris ShawGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

There's still a state of emergency in Christchurch and many properties across Wellington, Wairarapa and Manawatu are still without power following the week's wild weather.