Situated on +-500ha (1250 acres) of farm land, framed by the Southern Alps to the east and Lake Mapourika to the West. Lake Mapourika is the West Coast’s largest lake, formed in the last ice age, filled with fresh rain water and coloured by the tannins of the surrounding forest floor. South Westland contains original flora and fauna dating back to Gondwanaland, including the Rowi, classified endangered (ICUN).

Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere tells the Maori legend of the formation of Franz Josef Glacier from the tears (roimata) of a woman (Hine Hukatere) for a man dating back to before all other similarly fabled legends and a visual reminder for all those who visit the area. Much later the glacier was named for Emperor Franz Joseph 1 of Austria by Julius von Haast, for whom the settlement Haast is named.