The Naked Possum Story
businesswoman meets hunter ……. and a dream is born
"On New Years Eve of 2001 we met at the Mussel Inn Cafe in Golden Bay. We were both about to hit 50 and we were both ready for new love ….. and a new challenge!"
"On discovering we had common interests in hunting, working with leather and preserving New Zealand's indigenous flora & fauna we joined forces and began to build a life together for ourselves on the edge of the Kahurangi Forest in the beautiful Aorere Valley ….. at a place we have come to call paradise."
Grant Fitz-William has spent most of his working life as a hunter and pest controller and as such has been involved in various control operations throughout New Zealand……. focusing on the eradication of rabbits, possums, goats and deer. As a hobby he had always bark tanned the hides of the pests he shot and his dream was to one day make a full time business out of those tanning skills. He settled in Golden Bay as a goat culler and possum monitor 10 years ago.
Jocelyn Rae spent her early years farming and working with tourists in the South Island high country. In later years she established, and managed businesses involving retail, marketing and tourism. In the year 2000 Jocelyn established the company New Zealand Naturally (2000) Ltd, with a view to promoting the preservation of New Zealand’s native forests.
"Xmas of 2002 produced the best flowering of rata trees that the Aorere Valley had seen in a longer time than most could recall. Much of that was due to an intensive possum control programme that had rid the local forest of the pest and allowed the trees to once again flourish. Grant and I looked out onto this magnificent display in total awe …….. and The Naked Possum dream was born".
"We would promote the control of the possum in order to save our fragile rata forests and bring back the native birds who feed in them. Grant would buy in naked skins from the possum trappers contracted to pluck fur and he would tan those skins into leather. The NZ Naturally business would buy that tanned leather and turn it into luxury products."
"To facilitate the above we would set up a home based eco tourism business on the Kaituna property and sell our products, along with an environmental message, to the tourists who came to walk the Kaituna track."
... and so the dream has evolved.
The Tannery and Shop were established in 2004 and then, after a year of positive encouragement from the local farming community (and substantial financial input from an old family friend!) the café was opened in December of 2005.
The venture has since gone from strength to strength with visitors travelling to The Naked Possum from all parts of the country, and the globe, to enjoy this unique eco experience.
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