Land

Contributing to the success of the dairy industry is the West Coast region’s abundant rainfall which promotes green pastures and grass growth all year-round. Contrary to popular perception, the West Coast has a noticeably milder climate than the East Coast regions, with fewer extreme temperatures, including the potentially devastating droughts which affect many other parts of New Zealand.

The West Coast also has sunshine hours comparable to those recorded further North of New Zealand. In Karamea, North of Westport, the climate borders on subtropical for much of the year, evidenced by lush groves of Nikau palms and thriving subtropical plants. The Northern West Coast has more than 2,000 hours of sunshine per year, which along with plentiful rain is the essential ingredient for year round pasture growth.