Our story

Nicola and Wade purchased Korito Heights in 2012 with the hope of raising their children on the land, following in the footsteps of their own upbringings rooted in drystock and dairy farming. From the beginning, they’ve worked to create a farm honouring both their family values and the surrounding landscape, inspired by the natural character and rhythm of Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki.

While they have a deep love for the land and a strong commitment to enhancing its natural environment, they also recognise that a farm must be financially sustainable to thrive. Profitability is essential not only to support their family but to ensure they can keep caring for the whenua for generations to come. Like many small drystock farms, Korito Heights faces the realities of modern agriculture, where relying on livestock alone is no longer enough. This understanding has shaped their journey toward diversification.

It has long been Nicola’s dream to create a nose-to-tail operation for Korito Heights’ beef and lamb — a way to honour the animals, reduce waste and add value to the farm’s core products. But while this vision continues to develop, the Hut has become an important and meaningful interim step. Opening the farm to guests allows Nicola and Wade to share the beauty and character of Korito Heights while strengthening the business in a sustainable way.

Their love for this place is woven into everything they do. Korito Heights is a landscape of adventure and contrast, where dramatic, fast-moving weather and vast views of the North Taranaki Bight in the north, the Central Plateau in the east and Taranaki Maunga to the south invite you to pause, breathe and surrender to the scale of it all.

For Nicola and Wade, these moments of awe are part of everyday life and welcoming guests to experience them is a privilege.