Geoff and Johanna Fitzgerald are inviting 600 hikers to walk for a cause across their Wharepuhunga sheep and beef farm.
The couple, who have farmed the 450ha Duncan Road property for 24 years, have has created the Maungahau: Walk for a Cause charity walk, with hikers choosing from a 6.5 km or 10 km cross-country walk on their sheep and beef farm on October 19.
Walkers pay $80 to complete and, if registrations are full, the Fitzgerald’s will raise $48,000 for two good causes. The walks will also include the neighbouring farm owned by the Kimton family.
All proceeds from the walks will be split between Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter and Waikato Hauraki Coromandel Rural Support Trust.
The Fitzgeralds have benefitted from both services over the years.
“We have capped it at 600 walkers because of our health and safety plan that we have got in place,” Geoff Fitzgerald, 74, said.
The short walk is expected to take two to two and half hours, the long walk three to three and half.
“We hope to do it annually, give people a really good experience, and be able to increase the numbers next time.”