For the thousands of people
David Richwhite and Sir Michael Fay have welcomed onto their private Island, it is a slice of remote paradise. But beyond the pristine beaches that wayward sailors and holidaying families alike enjoy, is an Island that is hard at work in establishing itself as both a productive farm and significant nature reserve.
Great Mercury Island was purchased by investment bankers David Richwhite and Michael Fay in 1979. Whilst largely overrun with gorse and scrub in the early days, many years of clearing and gorse control have reclaimed much previously under utilised land.
The Northern half of the Island is now primarily farmland on which sheep and cattle graze. Living nearly year round on the Island these days Michael Fay personally manages the farming activities. Sir Michael also oversees maintenance of the substantial pine forestry block that blankets the majority of the Southern end of the Island.
Meanwhile, David Richwhite and wife Libby have championed the planting of native trees, shrubs and flaxes numbering in the hundreds of thousands in a bid to welcome back the birdlife that vanished with the deforestation that occurred in the late 1800’s. Their planting complements the natural preservation of many of the Island’s rich historic and archeologically significant Maori Pa and heritage sites, creating an environment reminiscent of the early years when the indigenous Maori inhabited the Island.
The work doesn't end there - Great Mercury Island has become home to a unique breeding program undertaken by a team of scientists striving to create a strain of bee resistant to the catastrophic Varroa mite. A program which, if successful, could be the savior of bee colonies worldwide.
This sort of scientific discovery and “Kiwi” innovation is something David Richwhite & Michael Fay keenly support. In 2009, they hosted New Zealand’s first suborbital rocket launch of “Atea-1”, volunteering use of their Island to the rocket’s creators, Rocket Lab and the ensuing media.
Whilst Michael resides primarily on Mercury Island these days David Richwhite still spends over half of the year at his London base where he pursues other business and lifestyle interests.
