Job Details
Category: Tractor / Truck / Machinery Operator
Location: Kuratau
Rural Directions
Tractor Operator | Waihi Pukawa
Discover Your Next Career Adventure: Tractor Operator Wanted!
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Scenic Kuratau location on Lake Taupō’s southwestern shores.
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Small hands-on team, modern farming operation, varied work.
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Experienced team members willing to share knowledge and upskill others.
Your Future Workplace
Waihi Pukawa is a 3,900-hectare Māori Trust farm (2,750 effective ha) near Kuratau, close to Lake Taupō. It is well-developed with strong infrastructure, good laneways, and around 80% cultivatable land. The farm is fully self-sufficient in cultivation and operates a semi-intensive system.
Waihi Pukawa is a 3,900-hectare Māori Trust farm (2,750 effective ha) near Kuratau, close to Lake Taupō. It is well-developed with strong infrastructure, good laneways, and around 80% cultivatable land. The farm is fully self-sufficient in cultivation and operates a semi-intensive system.
Wintering about 33,000 stock units across deer, sheep, and beef, with deer as the main enterprise on a 1,500-hectare unit carrying 17,000 SU. Sheep and cattle are breeding-focused and sold either store or finished depending on market conditions.
Your Role
As Tractor Operator, you’ll work closely with the Station Manager and the lead tractor operator to carry out a wide range of day-to-day farming tasks across the property. The role covers both general farm work and full cultivation operations, so confidence and experience operating machinery is essential.
Key duties include feeding out using a feed-out wagon, track maintenance, topping, post ramming, and supporting all aspects of cultivation from ground preparation through to direct drilling. You’ll also be involved in general farm support tasks as required, particularly during busy periods, including some stock work.
This is a hands-on, varied position where mechanical aptitude, attention to detail, and pride in maintaining equipment and work standards are important.
What You’ll Bring:
- Experienced in tractor operating, both with general and cultivation.
- Competent with mechanical and machinery maintenance.
- Strong attention to detail, take pride in their work and looking after the gear.
- Be able to work unsupervised and safely.
- Good communication skills.
- Be flexible with work hours during busy periods of year cultivation/feeding out.
- Full car, driver’s licence.
To read more about the position and farm layout please visit - https://bit.ly/4deXwbB
Why You’ll Love This Job:
- Opportunity to work within an inclusive farming environment, where there is the chance to further your skills and progress your knowledge.
- The farming business has modern gear, for the work required.
- The Owner’s provide an excellent work culture and value their people.
- A modern farming operation, where you will be working in a small team and have a wide variety of work.
- Located close to Lake Taupo for water sports and near the mountains for winter skiing.
- Opportunity to work within a large scale sheep, beef and deer operation, that will give you a variety of work.
- Accommodation is a comfortable 3–4 bedroom home with open-plan living, currently being upgraded to Healthy Homes standards with double glazing and insulation and includes a freestanding fire.
- Kuratau is a popular holiday destination on the southwestern shores of Lake Taupō, offering boating and fishing, with nearby hunting and easy access to central North Island ski fields for year-round recreation.
Head to www.ruraldirections.co.nz/jobs to find out more and apply!
Applications close Sunday 31st May 2026
Only job seekers who have NZ working rights will be eligible for this role.
Date Posted: 2026-05-12
