Enterprising Rural Woman Lisa Harper In Print

Rural Women NZ is thrilled to promote a new book by our Enterprising Rural Women Award winner, Lisa Harper, The Wharf at Waterfall Bay, which is dedicated to our organisation.

Lisa was interviewed recently by Kim Hill on National Radio.

For a sneak preview of the book click here.

Lisa’s fascinating autobiography tells the story of her return to the family farm at the head of the remote Mahau Sounds, after years working overseas as a scientist, where she showed all the pluck and entrepreneurship of earlier generations of women in her family to help turn around their failing fortunes.

The isolation didn’t deter her from starting a new business. After all, her grandmother and mother were made of stern stuff, coping with running stock, keeping an orchard, securing a commercial fishing quota, making cheese, operating a guest house, home-schooling children and only getting to ‘town’ on a treacherous road every six weeks. 

Eight years later Lisa is an award winning traditional cheesemaker with her own small herd of goats and cows.

She had to become innovative in her business to make it a viable proposition, and in recognition of that was awarded our Enterprising Rural Women Award in 2011.

Late in 2012 came another honour – the coveted Nuffield Scholarship, a prestigious award given each year to a small number of individuals around the Commonwealth who have been identified as future leaders.  During 2013 the scholarship has taken Lisa all over the world, and it underpins her view of herself as someone who is obliged to make a difference.  There is no doubt that she will.

To purchase your copy of The Wharf at Waterfall Bay, go to our online shop.  It’s a great read!