Qualmark Silver: A Tourism Milestone at the Bottom of the World
From growing grain in the paddocks of rural Southland to welcoming visitors from around the world, Auld Farm Distillery has achieved Qualmark Silver Sustainable Tourism Business accreditation.
Some achievements are particularly satisfying.
We're delighted to share that our little farm distillery, tucked away at Scotts Gap in Western Southland, has achieved Qualmark Silver Sustainable Tourism Business accreditation — on our very first assessment.
It's recognition we're incredibly proud of, particularly as Qualmark-accredited visitor experiences are relatively few in our part of New Zealand.
And it represents another chapter in a story that began not with tourism, but with farming.
More Than Just a Silver Badge
Qualmark is New Zealand's official tourism quality assurance organisation, assessing businesses against nationally recognised standards.
It's not simply a badge you apply for.
The assessment looks at the visitor experience, business practices, health and safety, environmental impact, sustainability and the systems supporting the operation.
Silver recognises businesses delivering consistently high-quality visitor experiences while demonstrating strong performance across the areas assessed.
For us, the biggest challenge was the paperwork.
Running a working farm and distillery means our days are rarely spent doing just one thing. Between growing grain, making spirits, bottling whisky, welcoming visitors and everything else involved in operating the business, finding time for extensive documentation was no small undertaking.
But the effort was worth it.
Achieving Silver at our first assessment was a wonderful endorsement of what we've built here.
We Never Planned to Become a Tourism Business
When we started the distillery, our ambition was to create something truly connected to the land.
A single-estate, seed-to-sip distillery where the grain is grown, harvested, distilled, matured and bottled right here on our family farm.
Tourism wasn't part of the original plan.
But somewhere along the way, we realised that one of the best ways to explain what makes our spirits different was simply to invite people here.
To show them the paddocks where our grain grows.
The distillery where we turn that grain into spirit.
The bond stores where our whisky quietly matures.
And the farm and family history that stretches back through generations.
There's something quite different about tasting whisky in the very place where its story begins.
Discovering a Different Side of Southland
Southland is known for its remarkable landscapes, rural communities and genuine hospitality.
But beyond the better-known visitor destinations, there are experiences waiting to be discovered.
Our distillery is one of them.
Situated at Scotts Gap, near Otautau, we're well off the usual tourist route.
You won't find us surrounded by souvenir shops or crowds of passing tourists.
Instead, you'll find a working Southland farm, grain paddocks, a distillery, whisky quietly maturing in oak casks and a family with a story to share.
Visitors travel from throughout New Zealand and overseas to experience what we do.
And for us, one of the most rewarding parts is seeing people discover that something quite extraordinary can be happening down an ordinary Southland country road.
Putting Rural Southland on the Tourism Map
Achieving Qualmark Silver is especially meaningful because accredited visitor activities are still relatively uncommon in Southland.
We believe rural Southland has an enormous amount to offer visitors.
Our region is home to generations of farming knowledge, innovative businesses, remarkable landscapes and people doing fascinating things.
Not all of those experiences fit the traditional picture of tourism.
Some happen on working farms, in small workshops or in communities that visitors might otherwise drive straight past.
Our hope is that recognition like Qualmark Silver helps shine a light on the quality of experiences available beyond the established tourist destinations.
It demonstrates that a small, family-run business, well off the beaten track, can deliver a visitor experience recognised against national tourism standards.
Looking After the Land That Makes It Possible
Our family has farmed this land since 1924, although its agricultural history stretches back much further.
We're farmers first and foremost.
The grain we grow, the water we use and the environment around us are fundamental to what we produce.
That connection to the land shapes how we think about our business and its future.
Qualmark's assessment process encouraged us to look closely at our operations, recognise what we're doing well and consider where we can continue improving.
For us, sustainability isn't just about tourism. It's about caring for the place that supports our farm, our family and our distillery.
Worth the Journey
We often describe ourselves as being a little off the edge of the map.
Remote, rural and right at the bottom of the world.
But that's part of what makes visiting us different.
We're not trying to recreate a traditional tourist attraction.
We're inviting people into our world, sharing what we do and giving them a genuine connection to the land and the spirits it produces.
Receiving Qualmark Silver is a proud milestone in that journey.
And while we're delighted to add the accreditation to our door, what matters most is continuing to give visitors a reason to travel that little bit further.
Because sometimes the best experiences are found well off the beaten track.
Experience Our Seed-to-Sip Story
Visit Auld Farm Distillery at Scotts Gap, Western Southland, and discover how our grain becomes whisky, from the paddock to the glass.
Explore our farm distillery tours and tastings at aulddistillery.co.nz.