About us
From our family to yours
At the heart of St Georges by the Sea and Woodlands Farmstead are two people whose shared passion for hospitality, heritage, and connection touches every corner of both properties.
Ed Newton and Linda Hasenfratz, while based in Canada, return to Taranaki as often as they can, bringing with them a love for hosting and an energy that fills each home with warmth and welcome. Whether it’s an elegant breakfast for a house full of friends or a quiet moment to themselves, these are the places where they unwind, reconnect, and savour the rhythm of life at its most generous and restorative.
Ed, who was raised in Taranaki on the 5,500-acre farm that is now Woodlands Farmstead, carries forward a legacy of innovation, discipline, and deep ties to the land. A natural problem-solver and entrepreneur, he went on to establish Kiwi Newton, a company at the forefront of sustainable construction in North America. Linda, an award-winning CEO and one of Canada’s most respected business leaders, balances her global influence with a genuine commitment to family and togetherness. Despite the scale of their professional lives, they remain grounded in their values: hospitality, generosity, and a love for meaningful spaces.
That sense of purpose is brought to life at St Georges by the Sea, thoughtfully designed in close collaboration between Ed, Linda, and their architects, with connection and celebration at the heart of its planning. It is their summer sanctuary and the site of their much-loved New Year’s Eve party. The home reflects not only their refined aesthetic but also their desire to make every guest feel welcome. Each room, every view, and every detail is shaped by a deep consideration for comfort and experience.
Woodlands Farmstead sits on the Newton family’s ancestral land in Kaipikari, near Urenui. Once home to Ed, his five siblings, and their parents, it is a place steeped in history. Flight Lieutenant Harold Newton (pictured, left) a decorated WWII pilot awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross by King George VI, returned here after the war to farm and continue his remarkable aviation legacy. He famously flew a monoplane from Belgium to New Zealand, a journey that captivated the nation. Harold’s pioneering spirit and deep connection to the land live on through the farm and the family who continue to care for it. Woodlands Farmstead today offers guests the rare opportunity to stay in a place shaped by grit, generosity, and heritage, a legacy that remains deeply important to Ed.
Together, these properties are more than just accommodation. They are enduring reflections of the people behind them. Ed and Linda hope that guests find in them what they do: beauty, stillness, connection, and joy. It is their great pleasure to share these special places, and to offer the same sense of delight and discovery that continues to draw them home.