Mega-Marlborough farm and vineyard business on the market for the first time in 54-years

“On a day like today, I wish we could stay here forever,” says Geoff Marfell, of Castlebrae, the unique sheep, beef and viticultural coastal estate at the mouth of the Awatere River where it meets the Pacific Ocean at the top of the South Island.

But Geoff and his brother David, along with their wives Polly and Diane who farm Castlebrae in partnership, are about to close a significant chapter of their lives, having made the decision to sell Castlebrae and let others dictate the future of this outstanding coastal property which embraces breathtaking views and runs from river terraces to high hill country to the sea.

“The family all have different avenues that they now want to explore and we have to accept that owning a property like Castlebrae has been a privilege. We hope someone else will pick up the reins and take a long-term view of how the property can work in the future,” says Geoff Marfell.

Originally, the property was a relatively modest 300 acre block which had been carved off a property called The Castles after the Second World War. In turn, The Castles was formerly part of Ugbrooke Station, one of the Marlborough region’s finest farming estates.

“Our dad bought Castlebrae in 1955 after moving from a rehab’ block up the Waihopai Valley and we took over from him in the late 1960s.

“We have added to the property over the years, acquiring 1000-odd acres of neighbouring Vernon Station in 1969 and later, another 400 acres which took our property right across to the river where the vineyards are now.”

Taking advantage of the government’s Land Development Encouragement Loans of the late ‘70s - available to farmers to further develop otherwise unproductive land into pastoral use – the Marfells painstakingly cleared the hill country of scrub, turning it into useable and viable farm land.

Now held in four titles, and with two homesteads, Castlebrae has a total land area of around 1848 acres or 747.94 hectares. The Marfell brothers’ visionary farming practices have seen the property evolve into a profitable and multi-faceted rural holding with huge future potential still to be tapped.

“We have always seen it as important to shore up several income streams and not be tied to one revenue strand. With the irrigation here – including good reticulated water and natural springs – it’s a really well-balanced property in terms of what is possible,” says David Marfell.

Currently, Castlebrae runs a conservative 3600 sheep being a mix of a merino fine wool flock with Black Forest bloodlines and an early lambing Corriedale flock. With the improved irrigation and the production of hay and baleage for winter feeding, these stocking numbers could easily be increased.






Around 48 hectares of the property is dedicated to cropping - including lucerne, seed, barley and wheat, along with peas and corn which are harvested and processed by Talleys.
Meanwhile, 19 hectares of land was developed into a sauvignon blanc vineyard in 2003 with no expense spared. The Marfells are well down the path of having it accredited as a sustainable vineyard with full compliance expected next year. The grapes are currently contracted to Oyster Bay wines, while a further 141 hectares of Castlebrae – a mix of flat and hill country - has been identified as possible vineyard land.

In conjunction with this future vineyard development - and in light of the coastal aspect that the property enjoys - plans have been drawn up for a 25-section lifestyle park to be integrated with the vineyard giving many more people the chance to enjoy Castlebrae and its unique Marlborough location.

“We have always shared the property with family and friends who regularly holiday at Castlebrae with their tents and mountain bikes and several young couples have been married here. But we’d like to think that in time, by opening up the land to carefully managed development, many other families will be able to build memories here at Castlebrae,” says Geoff Marfell.
The recreational opportunities that the property sustains would turn the heart of any hunter or angler. Whitebait and trout populate the river, there’s wild game lurking in the hills and wing bird shooting prospects throughout the native bush-lined gullies and fresh water ponds.

Marketing agent Glenn Dick of Bayleys Marlborough says photographs can’t begin to capture the special character of Castlebrae, although it is the images that have already drawn in a number of keen prospects.

“Within one hour of the property going ‘live’ on the Bayleys website, we had numerous hits - both nationally and internationally - and our first phone enquiry from a New Zealand buyer. It’s a property that just delivers on so many levels and opportunities like this one simply don’t come up very often,” says Mr Dick.
“The property would certainly seduce an international buyer as its idyllic location and sensational uninterrupted views are luxuries that globally, are rare. With the recent streamlining of Overseas Investment Office procedures, international buyers could feel quite buoyant about their chances of acquiring New Zealand coastal land such as this.”

The right buyer – or buyers – and the right price will ultimately secure Castlebrae, but in the meantime, life down on the farm goes on for the Marfells.

“I’ve been out grubbing this morning and Polly’s been out in the garden – there’s always something to be done with a property like this,” laughs Geoff Marfell.