Rosedale is one of the iconic New Zealand farming properties set on the rolling hills of the Waikaka Valley on the border between Southland & Otago.

Our history

Famed for its generations of sheep breeding from six generations of the Morrison family the property is as rich in history as it is in production. Indeed, famed sheep rustler James McKenzie may have been describing the Rosedale property to Highland friend Alexander McNab when from Lyttleton prison he recommended the best sheep farming land for McNab to settle. McNab took his friends advice and settled on his Knapdale Run nestled between the Blue Mountains and the Hokonui Hills. 

When the Knapdale Run was opened for settlement William Cumming from Banffshire Scotland chose the Rosedale property as his new home, with his nephew George Morrison joining him. Since then George’s sons, grandsons, great grandsons and great great grandsons have continued to farm the property.

The Rosedale Stud was founded in 1826 by George’s son Les based on the sound stockmanship learnt from his father. Since then the knowledge of generations has been passed on and grown with the use of the latest breeding technologies to what is today the Rosedale Growbulk and Romney Studs, World leaders in Sheep Production and Genetics.

Rosedale’s location with its Rosedale and Glenellen Homesteads has long been a focal point in the development and history of the area. Sheep and Gold and the promise of a new life bought the first influx of settlers to New Zealand and nowhere was this more typical than the Waikaka Valley.

Sitting on the junction between West Otago, Eastern Southland and Northern Southland the village of Willowbank grew with a butchers, blacksmiths, carpenters and grocers. Miners made their way to the gold diggings at Switzers, the valleys first rugby field was in the Rosedale front paddock, the Rosedale gold dredge plied its way on the Waikaka river and the original Glenellen homestead was the home for the miners who mined the coal for the gold dredges. The steam trains took on water and passengers at the Windmill, the Presbyterian church grew as a local landmark, the ‘old barn’ hosted community dances and locals played decades of tennis on the courts in the ‘tennis court paddock’.

Rosedale’s location with its Rosedale and Glenellen Homesteads has long been a focal point in the development and history of the area. Sheep and Gold and the promise of a new life bought the first influx of settlers to New Zealand and nowhere was this more typical than the Waikaka Valley.

When George Morrison wed Sarah White, granddaughter of Patahi it married together the Maori sense of Whanau with the Scottish sense of Clan and for generations the Morrison family have warmly hosted all visitors to their Rosedale and Glenellen homes.

The gold dredges are gone, the coal mine flooded in 1926, “Mrs Whites” is the only house left of the village, the rugby paddock and the tennis courts graze sheep, the last train was in 1962 and the old barn was pulled down in the 80’s. The Windmill and Church still remain as local landmarks but what hasn’t changed is the welcome to all visitors and that the heart of Rosedale is still breeding top performing sheep.

What We've Achieved