Bayly Farm – JOHN, JOSS, PHILIP, TOM AND WILLIAM BAYLY

The Bayly family is best known for their 150 Angus bulls sold by auction annually on the idyllic Wairoa Station on Bay of Islands coast just north of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.

John and Joss Bayly have three sons living on the farm – oldest Phil and youngest Will work on the farm and middle son Tom works for PGG Wrightson as a livestock agent.

The front core of the farm has been in the family since 1929, farmed first by Joss’s grandfather, then her father, who extended the property inland in 1967.
John and Joss added a 70ha run-off at Puketona in 1994 and a dairy farm at Ohaeawai in 2011.

The Angus herd was founded with Kai-Iwi cattle from John’s family at Whanganui and substantially expanded with 200 stud cows from the Northland Lovell family in 2006.

What is now called Waitangi Angus uses a large AI programme to produce seedstock sold by two annual bull sales of yearlings and two-year-olds.
Biosecurity is a constant vigil and the farm business is now run as a virtually closed system with very few stock imports, reducing transferable diseases.
Boundary fences that border other properties are double fenced.

About one third of the property, nearest the sea, has peat soils, bounded by rolling volcanic country full of stones and rocks. The upper third is steeper greywacke and clay hills.

The potential for cultivation is very limited by rocks and terrain and the pastures are kikuyu-dominant.

All 92 paddocks now have reticulated water for livestock and wetlands and some scrub areas have been fenced off to allow for regeneration and native plantings.
The wetlands filter excess nutrients from farm run-off water before it drains to the sea.

Pest control of possums, cats, weasels and rats is carried out with traps from a community landcare group, plus regular shooting.

Diversification and farm succession planning are now underway.
Philip has set up a bee business and Joss has a sport horse breeding programme, while William has an established coastal wedding venue with a permanent marquee site and a wool shed alternative in case of bad weather.
Community use of Wairoa Farm is high, including hunt club, walking groups, motorbikes, horse treks, and hosting industry events, such as a barbecue for the Five Nations Beef Group and a visit from the Beef + Lamb New Zealand annual meeting.

John is on the board of Angus Pure, NZ Angus Association and Performance Beef Breeders.

Awards Won 2019

Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award

Predator Free Farm Award

Northland Regional Council Water Quality Enhancement Award