- South Westland Salmon Farm and Café in Paringa for sale for the first time since the 1980s.
- Ben Monk is selling due to the expansion of the family beef farm, making it difficult to manage both.
- The property could suit someone wanting to run a small salmon farm or a lodge.
A boutique salmon farm that counts itself lucky to be in the middle of nowhere is looking to catch a new owner.
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The South Westland Salmon Farm and Café on State Highway 6 in Paringa, in Westland, West Coast, is for sale for the first time since the 1980s, when owners Graham and Brenda Monk built the ponds next to their family beef farm.
Graham sold his crayfish quota in 1996 and used the money to build the large café and gift shop overlooking the salmon ponds.
Their son Ben Monk returned home to the West Coast in 2007 to run the family beef farm before purchasing the salmon farm and café from them in 2013.
The building includes a large cafe with a commercial kitchen, gift shop and office. Photo / Supplied
Ben told OneRoof he didn’t need to change anything when he took over the business because his dad had perfected making the best cold-smoked salmon around.
“Our smoked salmon is our signature – it is incredible. Dad tweaked it and we get a lot of comments. It is the best smoked salmon most people have ever tasted.”
Customers who ordered a salmon dish from the cafe’s menu usually bought some extra smoked salmon, fresh salmon, or sashimi to take home. “We don’t try to promote that we sell it off premises too much as we run out,” Ben said.
“We are completely self-sufficient. What we produce, we sell through the café. It just goes gangbusters.”
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Ben employs backpackers to run the café and gift shop, but still manages the salmon farm.
However, the recent expansion of the surrounding beef farm meant he was too busy to run both, so he decided to sell the 7711sqm site.
Ben said Paringa was a special place, and that visitors rarely wanted to leave. On the rare occasion a house came up for sale in the area, it was usually sold for asking price within a couple of days.
The closest shops are about 50 minutes away in either Fox Glacier (also home to the closest school) or Haast. Hokitika and Wanaka are almost a three-hour drive away.
Ben said having a large café in the middle of nowhere was a bit odd, but its remoteness worked in its favour. “We are located in a good spot. We are 40 minutes from anywhere, so by the time people come through, they are ready for a break,” he said.
“We are just lucky enough to be in the middle of nowhere and the only café here.”
He said the property could suit someone who wanted to own and run their own small salmon farm or a lodge, which would address the accommodation shortage in the area.
The nearby river and surrounding bush area also made it a hunter or fishing haven, which was also another reason he was selling. “Things have just got busier and busier and I want to go fishing more.”
- 6156 State Highway 6, Paringa, in Westland, is for sale for $600,000
