Blog Layout
Functional, Beautiful, Sustainable - Mt Nicholas Merino
WORDS Lucinda Diack IMAGES Francine Boer

Mt Nicholas Merino are on a mission to share their ethos for an environmentally responsible way of life well beyond their remote farm gate with the launch of their product range. A collection designed to complement their already highly sought-after yarn.


One of the most historic and largest stations in Aotearoa, Mt Nicholas spans 36,000 hectares from the shores of Lake Wakatipu to deep into Southland and is home to 29,000 merino sheep and 2,300 Hereford cattle. Kate Cocks and Latisha McMurray are the creators, designers and entrepreneurs behind the station’s own merino brand, supported by their husbands Jack and Phil. ‘The idea came about while we were cleaning the shearers’ quarters,’ laughs Kate. ‘We produce 120,000 kilos of merino wool, which is sent to Italy for manufacture into luxury suits, and used in other fashion and active outdoor wear, and we thought – what if we pinched a small amount for us?’ A small amount that has paved the way into a timeless collection of heritage merino goods.


‘After years of growing beautiful merino wool, it is exciting to continue the journey with our fibre, and use it to create products that are uniquely New Zealand, and able to be traced back to a single origin on the station,’ explains Latisha. ‘It was really important to us that we partner with local processing and manufacturing operations; which wasn’t easy as there aren’t many options for this in New Zealand.’



The station’s merino sheep are shorn annually by a highly skilled shearing gang. ‘After the wool handlers’ initial preparation we hand- sort the wool, removing any vegetable matter and parts of the fleece that are less than perfect, and then the wool is transported to Christchurch for scouring before being sent to Wellington to be dyed and spun, ready for our knitters.’


The design of each piece is carefully overseen by Kate and Latisha with some key considerations in mind. ‘We often ask ourselves what would we like in our homes, or what would we like to wear?’ continues Kate. ‘At every point we are striving to achieve timeless, classic pieces that will appeal to men and women. And especially to those who are seeking a traceable sustainable product.’

Having gained the world’s leading ethical wool certification, The New Zealand Merino Company’s ZQRX standard, Mt Nicholas are ensuring that everything produced on the property is done so with not only fibre quality in mind, but with environmental and social responsibilities as well. ‘The ZQRX standard dives into unique aspects of the property as a whole,’ explains Kate, ‘and looks at not only how we care for our stock but what we are doing to improve the land such as restoring waterways, protecting native species and offsetting carbon. Not only do we ensure our products are produced to the highest quality, but that they are produced with an environmental conscience at every turn. Right down to the packaging – which is all biodegradable.’


Living remotely, the two entrepreneurs laugh as they share an insight into the models they have on hand for trying on their new collection of jerseys – launching at the Wanaka A&P Show in March 2024. ‘Everyone living on the farm gets called upon

to try out our new collections,’ laughs Kate. ‘It is very much a family affair. We have even convinced some of the guys who come and shear our sheep annually to be models for our advertising.’


Designed to be worn with a silk skirt or jeans, out and about or just at home, the merino jerseys, like everything in the range, have been crafted with versatility and classic lines in mind. ‘We have men and women’s designs,’ enthuses Latisha, ‘and while there will be beautiful natural shades we also have a brighter option for those looking to add a pop of colour to their wardrobe.’ Beanies, scarves, hats and gloves will also be part of the Autumn 2024 collection.


Growing a business within a business is no small feat, but this dynamic duo has more than proved they are a formidable pair – they have four children between them, live in ‘the middle of nowhere’, Latisha also manages the farm’s events business, while Kate manages the business and compliance responsibilities of the farm. ‘We want to tell our story through our products,’ concludes Kate, ‘connecting Mt Nicholas with people all across New Zealand and further afield.’ A connection and story that has plenty more to come.


mtnicholasmerino.co.nz

Recent stories

A cookbook is sitting on top of a wooden stand on a kitchen counter.

How to Make an Adjustable Cookbook Stand

By Klaudia Krupa • May 22, 2024
With its sliding base, this stand can snugly hold any recipe card, tablet or cookbook – no matter how chunky or slim. Choose your favourite colours to ensure it is the perfect match for your kitchen or as a great gift idea. Plus, when it’s not in use, you can easily store both parts flat! What you need: 1 x 300 x 230 mm sheet of pine board, 18 mm thick (backboard) 1 x 300 x 150 mm sheet of pine board, 18 mm thick (baseboard) 1 x 120 mm pine dowel, 12 mm thick 2 x 40 mm pine dowels, 8 mm thick Drill and drill bits Drop saw Drop sheet Jigsaw or reciprocating saw Measuring tape Paintbrush and mini roller Resene testpots – we used Resene Gold Dust and Resene Apache Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel paint, tinted to your choice of colour – we used Resene Bokara Grey Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer Ruler Sandpaper Wood glue Step 1: Cut your wood to the sizes listed above. Step 2: Measure and mark out a 155 x 25 mm slot, positioned 40 mm up from the base of the backboard, as shown. Step 3: Drill a hole in each corner of the marked slot to give your saw a starting point. Then, use either a jigsaw or reciprocating saw to carefully cut out the slot. Step 4: Smooth out any rough edges with sandpaper. Step 5: To make the handle, drill two 8 mm holes in the 12 mm dowel. Each hole should be drilled three quarters of the way through the dowel, centred and positioned 20 mm from each end. Begin by drilling small pilot holes to guide the larger drill bit.
A dog is laying on a dog bed in a living room next to a couch.

Too Good to be True?

By Nathan Miglani • May 22, 2024
We are on the cusp of a once-in-a-decade influx of properties on the market. Nathan Miglani, Director of NZ Mortgages, explains. As we have discussed, in the aftermath of the election we saw immediate momentum in the market. Since March we have seen this start to drop as the reality of interest rates remaining high dampened buyers’ appetite. Petrol prices are high, the cost of living continues to increase and while the OCR is holding, and forecasted to hold for the next few months, people are hurting, which in turn sees the property market slow. But there is hope on the horizon – we are predicting that by September/October we will start to see interest rates slowly start to come down, but do not expect them to drop as quickly as they rose. We are seeing some banks offer as low as 5.99 per cent on a three-year loan, and while this might sound good now, my advice is still to only fix for a short term to avoid costly break fees. The most active market we are seeing right now is in the $800,000 – $1.3 million range with lots of buying and selling happening. This is set to ramp up come 1 July with the changes to the bright-line property rule when it comes to being taxed on capital gain – dropping from 10 years (or five years for a new build) to two. For many it will seem too good to be true, but it is! This is set to put in motion a once-in-a-decade influx of properties to the market from Mum-and-Dad investors who are currently hurting with the high interest rates, creating massive opportunity for both first home buyers and first-time investors. Other sectors of the market continue to feel the pinch and as an advocate and passionate developer it was important to me to be able to assist the construction sector, which sees the launch of our construction division, Construction Loans. This is for those who have decided to build their first home, right up to those developing a subdivision. It is about helping everyone achieve their goals – which underpins everything we do. For this sector, it is about ensuring that the finances are in order before it is too late. Arranging finance for building a property is different from securing finance on an existing home, and it is critical to consider the best way to structure repayments on the section and the build while maintaining lifestyle.  It is about empowering builders, developers and everyone to make informed decisions that work for their unique situations. There is no one size fits all, which is why it is imperative that you seek professional advice before it’s too late. We are here to help you avoid pitfalls.
A group of young boys are playing soccer on a field.

The Future of Happiness

By Dr Cheryl Doig • May 22, 2024
Dr Cheryl Doig explores why a holistic approach, when it comes to educating, parenting and governing should be considered. It’s a complex world that our young people are growing up in. Societal change, the impact of social media and technology are colliding with climate change, misinformation, disinformation, and warfare. Trust in governments has deteriorated and the world is more polarised. It’s no wonder wellbeing and happiness are such a focus in our schools, our homes and our businesses. The recent results from the 2024 Global Happiness Index showed that happiness in Aotearoa New Zealand has fallen significantly for all age groups, but by twice as much for the young as for the old. In 2021–2023, our young people were the least happy age group. Females under 30 have one-third more negative emotions than males. Our young people are not thriving. Contrast this with 2006–2010 results, when the young were happier than those in the midlife groups, and about as happy as those aged 60 and over. The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt provides some insight into what might be happening here. Haidt refers to our young people as ‘the anxious generation’ and outlines the following as contributing factors: Technology – constant connectedness and the facade of always appearing happy and successful on social media. The cult of safety – overprotective parents and risk aversion – not developing resilience nor the ability to cope with challenges. The loss of play – the decline of unstructured play and outdoor exploration, critical factors for social, emotional and cognitive development. The pressure to succeed – intense academic and extracurricular expectations. The loneliness epidemic – social isolation is more prevalent even though our children appear more ‘connected’. These are deep social issues that have no simple solution. What is needed is an holistic approach to parenting, educating and governing. A focus on literacy, numeracy and sciences alone is not going to lead to a wellbeing economy. Supportive relationships and acceptance of diversity matter more than ever. Creative and critical thinking, play and physical exercise cannot be forgotten. Futures thinking is one way of developing resilience, risk taking and autonomy, as it explores alternative world views and encourages anticipating a range of scenarios. Many of our teachers know this but struggle with the ever-changing pendulum swings of successive governments. They’re exhausted and not so happy in their work. Schools need that sense of community support. We are overdue for a bipartisan collective vision for education in order to create a future where our young people thrive, are hopeful and happy. It’s not all doom and gloom. We can make a positive difference! As parents, whānau and communities, my challenge to you is to consider one item from the bullet point list above. Lean into it and give your children a bit of space to be children and have joy in their lives. Don’t crowd them, cosset them and control them so much. Walk alongside and guide them. Let them learn from failure with you as their coach. Celebrate successes.
Share by: