Coromandel’s Pahi Coastal Walk has taken out an NZI Rural Women NZ Business Award 2024.

The scenic three-day visitor experience near Port Jackson on the northern tip of the peninsula leads across the 11,000ha farm of sheep and beef farmers Catherine and Zander Ward.

The Wards decided to open the walk in 2022 because they said they wanted to share the “spectacular views and stunning landscapes” from their farm with the community.

Now, the walk caters for more than 2000 guests a season.

Catherine said she was “really delighted” her family’s project had won the Rural Women NZ Business Award in the category Love of the Land.

“We do love our land, our little piece of paradise, and it has been really nice to share it by operating the walk that brings in extra revenue for the farm.”

The Pahi farm has been in Zander’s family for six generations – he and Catherine took it over in 2001.

Catherine, formerly of Whangārei, said she started developing ideas for the walk after her three children had left for school and university.

She said coastal farming was beautiful and she wanted to share that beauty with more people.

“So I looked at glamping and the walk ... [and something] where I could do food because I love making food.”

The walk is fully catered and includes accommodation with the Pahi Coastal Walk team transporting visitors’ bags and preparing meals.

The walk is 26-34km and leads across the Pahi farm and Department of Conservation walkways.

Rural Women NZ said while the Pahi Coastal Walk started as Catherine’s hobby project, it “quickly flourished into a fully fledged business”, and meant more hands were needed to manage the flood of visitors.

“This provided an opportunity to involve women whose partners were working on the farm in the business ... The ripple effect of the walk’s success has had a massive flow-on effect for Cath’s community,” Rural Women NZ wrote on its website.

Catherine Ward, founder of the Pahi Coastal Walk.

“A partnership with Hike & Bike Coromandel has been hugely successful for both parties. Cath’s love of the land has created a sense of purpose that has transformed her life and lifted the community around her.”

The annual Rural Women NZ Business Awards have been developed to encourage and celebrate rural women, strengthen rural communities and nurture economic resilience in the regions.

Rural Women NZ national president Gill Naylor said there were seven award categories this year.

“We refreshed our award categories this year and the response to the two redefined categories, Experience Rural and Creative at Heart, has been excellent with this year’s awards attracting the highest-ever number of entries.”

The awards ceremony will be held on November 22 in Wellington, where the Supreme Award winner will be announced.

• To find out more about Pahi Coastal Walk, go to pahicoastalwalk.co.nz.
• To find out more about the Rural Women NZ Business Awards and the other winners, go to ruralwomennz.nz/businessawards.

Rural Women NZ Business Award winners

● Creative at Heart Award

Botanical – Amy Burke (Tasman)

● Emerging Business Award

Hemprino – Siobhan O’Malley & Harriet Bell (Staveley)

● Innovation Award

Repost – Dansy Coppell (Mapua)

● Love of the Land Award

Pahi Coastal Walk – Catherine Ward (Coromandel)

● Rural Champion Award

Tairāwhiti Contractors Ltd – Katareina Kaiwai (Tokomaru Bay)

● Experience Rural Award

Nest Treehouses – Elizabeth Hayes (Hakataramea Valley)

● Rural Health and Wellness Excellence Award

Nicola Smith Massage – Nicola Smith (Marlborough)

-The Country