Start your farming careerat Smedley Station
This is where your farming future begins. Learn by doing on 5,660 hectares of real working farmland and build the skills and confidence for a career in agriculture.
At Smedley, you’ll do more than learn farming skills — you’ll build the foundation for your future. Working alongside experienced staff, you’ll gain practical experience, nationally recognised qualifications, and the confidence to take on the opportunities ahead. With just 13 cadets accepted each year, Smedley offers a supportive environment where lifelong friendships, valuable life skills, and rewarding agricultural careers begin.
Some stats about Smedley
Thinking about applying?
Our prospectus contains detailed information about the programme, training, accommodation, support, and future opportunities.
Cadet experiences
See what our cadets are saying
The best way to understand life at Smedley is to hear from the people who have lived it.
“I’ve always been on a farm and always wanted to be. And then I was fortunate enough after high school to get into Smedley and do my cadetship there and I’ve been farming ever since. I was really lucky to know what I wanted to…”
“I’ve grown up on farms and have always dreamed of having a career in the industry. I was lucky enough to be selected for Smedley in my last year of high school. Back then I would never have imagined what Smedley would do for me….”
“At school, all my mates, none of them were into farming. I was sort of the odd one out. I met people along the way that helped get me into it. In my first year at Smedley there were 11 cadets accepted. I met so…”
“When I was still in primary school I knew someone who attended Smedley and from there on out it was always my dream. Alongside the practical skills I gained that I will always carry with me, what has stood out since leaving Smedley is all…”
“Smedley was hugely valuable for me. Obviously, it was the set of skills and practical skills that you learn. But I think equally important was the life skills that you learn around work ethics, around standards, working with other people. It really reinforced that farming…”
Public Trust
Public Trust’s role as trustee is to oversee the ongoing management of the estate. This includes governance and corporate support, including the employment of farm employees, agreeing the farm’s annual budget, paying expenses, health and safety oversight, and making decisions in consultation with the Howard Estate Advisory Board.
Howard Estate Advisory Board
Smedley is governed under the Howard Estate Act. The Advisory Board advises Public Trust on the running of the farm. Members are appointed by the Governor General, with the assistance of Public Trust’s responsible Minister, being the Associate Minister of Justice. The Advisory Board’s strength has always been the strong local representation from Hawke’s Bay organisations, including A&P Societies, Federated Farmers, Hawke’s Bay Secondary School Principals’ Association, Rural and Urban Local Bodies and Chambers of Commerce, as well as the Smedley Ex-Cadets Association.