Wharekauhau Country Estate

Palliser Bay has anchored this land since the 1840s, when the district's earliest pastoral farms took hold along its shore. Wharekauhau grew from that same ground into a sheep station, and the tradition of shearing sheds and working dogs still runs the estate today, alongside the Edwardian-style lodge built at its centre. The estate now covers 3,000 acres of pasture, native forest, and cliff-edge coastline, with sixteen cottage suites set a short walk from the main lodge. Each cottage runs to 70 m², with a private ocean-view terrace, underfloor heating, and a double spa bath. The Foley Villa stands apart: a 418 m² house with three ensuite bedrooms, a heated infinity pool, and its own stretch of view over the bay. You can watch waves break along black-sand beaches from the terraces, and reach the water on foot within minutes. Farming still shapes the daily rhythm — sheepdogs work the paddocks, wool comes off in season, and the kitchen draws on the estate's own lamb, eggs, and garden vegetables. Martinborough's vineyards lie a short drive north. Check-out is at 7.30am.