CATCHMENT CHAIR

Willy is Chair of the Karamū River Catchment Collective and runs Glenalvon Station, a family farm that has been part of the Raukawa Range for more than 100 years. He brings a commercial farming perspective to the Collective focused on supporting productive and sustainable land use across the catchment. A hi-tech sheep and beef farmer and Ballance Farm Environment Awards finalist, Willy also brings extensive agribusiness experience from his role as Senior Manager Agribusiness at ANZ.

CATCHMENT TREASURER

John is a third-generation farmer at Oban Station with a long connection to the land and the agricultural industries of the Karamū catchment. As Treasurer of the Collective, he brings a practical farming perspective and a strong understanding of sustainable land management to our work. With a Diploma in Agricultural Business Management and generations of farming experience behind him, John brings valuable knowledge across sheep and beef farming, viticulture and rural business.

CATCHMENT COMMITTEE

Xan is a Hawke’s Bay grape grower and viticultural consultant based in Bridge Pa, with a trusted connection to the region’s horticulture industry and the Heretaunga Plains. He contributes to the Collective through his knowledge of water and resource management, horticulture and local governance. With tertiary qualifications in Environmental Management, Banking and Horticultural Science, alongside extensive experience in regional governance and water management, Xan brings a broad understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the catchment.

CATCHMENT COMMITTEE

Brian has been actively involved in the Hawke’s Bay community for more than 40 years through Rotary, community leadership and environmental restoration projects. He brings this strong community connection to the Collective, supporting restoration across the Karamū catchment and helping bring people together around practical environmental action. With more than 30,000 volunteer hours and decades of experience leading community projects, including the restoration of Twyford Hall as a resilience hub, Brian brings extensive knowledge of community engagement, project delivery and local environmental restoration.

CATCHMENT COMMITTEE

Jim is a beef farmer in the upper Awanui catchment and, alongside Lynette, has farmed their property for more than nine years after previously dairy farming in Eketahuna. He brings an active farming industry perspective to the Collective, drawing on his experience as President of Hawke’s Bay Federated Farmers and involvement in regional farming and river management initiatives. With a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from Massey University and previous experience as a fertiliser consultant, Jim combines scientific knowledge with practical farming experience and a strong commitment to improving environmental outcomes.

CATCHMENT COMMITTEE

Mike has more than 40 years’ experience across farming and farm related businesses, with his family trust owning Te Tua Station, a 1,100-hectare property west of Hastings that includes vineyards, orchards, organic cropping and sheep and beef farming. He brings this broad farming and land management experience to the Collective, along with an understanding of the relationship between productive land, waterways and the wider catchment. A Bachelor of Commerce graduate with extensive governance experience, Mike has served on a number of agricultural and environmental boards and is currently Chair of the Ngaruroro Irrigation Society.

CATCHMENT LEAD

Rachel has lived in the Karamū catchment for more than 20 years and comes from a farming family, giving her connection to the land, people and industries that shape the catchment. She brings a thoughtful farming perspective to the Collective, alongside her experience in logistics and bringing people and projects together. Rachel runs a farming and contracting business with her husband and has more than 20 years’ experience in events and logistics, giving her a sense of how to turn ideas into action.

CATCHMENT ADVISOR

Alice is an environmental consultant based in Havelock North, originally from the Bay of Islands, with a background spanning agribusiness, on-farm sustainability and international business. She brings technical expertise to the Collective, designing projects, securing funding and taking initiatives through to implementation across the catchment. Alice holds a Master of Sustainable Business from the University of Otago, Sustainable Nutrient Management from Massey University and Land Use Capability training with Simon Stokes.