The Simpsons at Heaton Park
Heaton Park was given its name by the Rhodes family, the original owners of 13,000 hectares of coastal land between the Rangitikei and Turakina rivers.
R K Simpson purchased the homestead block from the Rhodes family in 1907.
R K Simpson, together with other local famers built the school around 1859 and paid the school Master. Now known as South Makirikiri it is a thriving country school where the 6th generation of Simpsons attend.
Currently Heaton Park is farmed by Dougal and Jack. They are the 5th generation of Simpsons to farm the land, together with their father Phil who took over from his father in the late 1960s. Jack and his family currently live in the original homestead which was built in 1873. At the door of the homestead hangs a large bell from the Fusilier, a ship that ran to ground on the local beach in 1884. The staircase up to the attic in the workshop was also salvaged from the Fusilier.
Heaton Park
Heaton Park is 900 hectares. It is made up of 220ha of clay soils and 680ha of sand based soils. There is 90ha of forestry on the light sandy soils to help with erosion.
One of the unique features of Heaton Park is the several coastal lakes. The largest, Lake Heaton is about 15ha where family and friends enjoy recreation including boating and duck shooting.
In 2010 the family purchased an additional 400ha inland hill country property for breeding, all progeny from this block is finished on Heaton Park in its warmer costal climate.
Heaton Park is currently farming 4500 breeding ewes and 370 breeding cows. All lambs are finished on the property. The male calves are sold as yearling steers at the Fielding sales yards while the 65 heifer calves are retained for breeding replacements. The rest of the heifers are fattened for processing before their second Winter.
The Simpson family cherish the beautiful coastal land of Heaton Park. Their intentions are to continue to maintain and care for it to ensure many more years of farming and producing a high quality product to bring to plate.