Growing Hops at the end of the world
- Claire Inkson
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Deep in the heart of Southland, at latitude 45 degrees south, sits one of the world’s most unexpected horticultural ventures.
Garston Hops, owned and operated by James and Lizette McNamee and their family, has become the southernmost commercial hop farm on the planet.
What started as a small experiment has grown into a thriving business supplying breweries from Invercargill to Auckland and across the world.
The McNamee farm has been in the family for more than 140 years, run by four generations of sheep farmers.
But as production pressures grew, the couple began questioning how they could keep the land in family hands for their two sons.
Farming sheep alone was struggling to make the numbers stack up.
“We were looking for something that would let us keep farming without changing the whole farm,” Lizette says. “Sheep just were not making money on the size of land we have. So, we started looking at what people grow on the same latitude in the Northern Hemisphere, and that is how we arrived at hops.”
In 2016, they planted their first 50 plants in a sheltered corner of the property, now known as the Tree Surrounded Garden.
Today, Garston Hops covers about 30 hectares, with plans to reach 40.
The family grows iconic New Zealand varieties, including Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, Rakau, Riwaka and NZ Cascade.
Their greatest advantage is also their biggest challenge.
Garston sits squarely in the Southern Hemisphere hop belt, with long daylight hours and cold winters that hops love.
“They want lots of daylight, and they want a proper winter shutdown,” Lizette says. “They like to hibernate before spring. Garston gives them exactly that.”
No other commercial hop farm in the world shares this latitude.
Understanding the latitude
Hops grow best between 35 and 55 degrees latitude in both hemispheres.
Garston sits at 45 degrees south, which mirrors major hop-growing regions at 45 degrees north in Europe and the United States.
The growing conditions are similar because they are the same distance from the equator, but on opposite sides of the planet.
What makes Garston unique is that, although many hop farms operate at 45 degrees north, there are no other commercial hop farms at 45 degrees south.
The McNamees used northern latitude research to guide them, but the flavour and aroma of Garston-grown hops remain entirely their own because no one else farms hops at this southern latitude.
The result is a unique terroir that brewers quickly noticed.
When Altitude Brewing in Queenstown brewed two beers using the same recipe, one with Garston hops and one with Nelson-grown hops, the difference was striking.
“I will not say ours are better, but they are definitely different. It’s like wine,” Lizette says. “The flavour and aroma depend on the soil, the water, and the climate. We are the only people in the world growing hops at this latitude.”
Growing hops in a remote part of Southland has brought steep challenges.
The McNamees had no neighbours to borrow specialised machinery from and no local advisers who understood hop nutrition or irrigation needs.
“Even finding the right spray nozzles was impossible south of Nelson,” Lizette says. “We are learning every day.”
From 2016 to 2021, the couple trialled and learned.
In 2021, they committed to commercial production, planting five hectares in their first year and adding more every season.
They grow, harvest, and dry all hops on the home farm, then send them to Nelson for pelletising. They now handle their own sales, logistics and export administration, often teaching themselves as they go.
One of their proudest moments came early on when Tree House Brewing Company, the largest craft brewer in the world, visited during harvest.
“We did not even realise at first who they were. Our twelve-year-old son showed them around because we were busy. Later, we found out who they were. That was a huge moment. It made us realise we were producing something world-class,” Lizette says.
Although the work is demanding, the McNamees believe Southland has enormous potential to grow niche, high-quality products.
Their pride in the region is also the inspiration behind one of the most unique annual events in the rural calendar.
A harvest journey like no other
The Garston Hops Harvest Event, created in partnership with Altitude Brewing, brings visitors into the thick of harvest season while celebrating the region’s produce, history and ingenuity.
The 2026 event will take place on Saturday, March 21 and is already shaping up to be the biggest yet.
Freshly picked hops begin their journey on the picturesque farm before being transported by Clydesdale horse-drawn carriage from Garston to Fairlight.
From there, the historic Kingston Flyer steam train carries the fragrant green cones to Kingston, allowing visitors to step back into a piece of Central Otago heritage.
A scenic boat ride across Lake Whakatipu completes the journey, delivering the hops to Altitude Brewing, where they are used immediately in a one-day-only fresh hop brew.
“It is not just about us. We want to bring something special into the region and keep the history of how things used to move alive,” Lizette says. “People love being part of the whole journey. It connects farming, brewing, tourism and local food.”
Local producers also take part, with Southland-grown lamb on the menu and meals prepared by businesses such as The Apple Shed and Smoke and Pickle.
For many attendees, it is the only time they will ever see fresh hops harvested, transported and brewed all in one day.
Lizette says the event has grown steadily.
“This will be our sixth year. It is getting bigger and bigger. We want to showcase Southland and show people what can be achieved in our part of the world.”
The McNamees see the event as another way to create pride and connection in a remote community that has rallied around their venture.
“We did not get here by ourselves. People have volunteered at harvest, driven tractors and helped us for weeks at a time. We want to give something back by creating something the whole region can be proud of.”
GARSTON HOPS HARVEST EVENT 2026
Saturday, March 21 2026, 7:30am - 6pm
Garston to Queenstown with an option departing from Queenstown in the morning, or to make your own way. Get in touch if you're looking to depart from Invercargill or Te Anau as transport may be made available if there's enough interest.
Experience the journey of the world’s southernmost hops as they travel from farm to brewery in a single day.
• Hop picking at Garston Hops
• Clydesdale horse transport to Fairlight
• Kingston Flyer heritage train to Kingston
• Scenic boat cruise to Queenstown
• Fresh hop brew and harvest celebration at Altitude Brewing
• Meals, tastings, beers, farm tour and all transport included
More information: garstonhops.co.nz
Follow Garston Hops and Altitude Brewing on social media, or @garstonhopsharvestevent on Instagram for ticket announcements
Comments