student life
Young farmers at DHS School of Agriculture enjoy an in-depth experience of living and studying in a rural New Zealand town. Dargaville is a busy agricultural centre servicing a wide range of farm types.
Accommodation:
Accommodation is at the recently-upgraded student hostel in which each resident has his or her own room. Catering is provided by the on-site hostel management team and consists of typical New Zealand food (meat, fish, potatoes and vegetables).
Broadband internet connection is available to residents in the hostel and weekend and evening activities are organized to ensure every student can make the most of their time with us.
The young farmers are transported to and from the farms in a comfortable mini-bus. This can also be used for social trips to the nearby centre of Whangarei which has a cinema, theatre and substantial shopping facilities.
Sporting facilities:
There is a public swimming pool in Dargaville as well as an indoor pool at Dargaville High School. Surfing and fishing are popular activities at our west coast beaches.
Other water sports such as canoeing and waterskiing are available at the Kai Iwi lakes.
The school has a weight room and rugby is also a popular sport to take part in or watch.
Orientation
On arrival the young farmers are introduced to the local area over the first week.
A tour of Dargaville including shops, museum and sporting facilities is followed by a tour of Dargaville High School.
A traditional Maori welcome begins the introduction to basic New Zealand culture.
Our guests are taken on a tour of local environmental attractions including our impressive surf beaches, ancient Kauri forests and beautiful lakes.
About Dargaville
Dargaville is a town of approximately 5000 people, 200km north of Auckland, on the west coast of the North Island. The town lies on the Northern Wiaroa River and is surrounded by lush farmland.
Nearby Bayly’s Beach and the Kai Iwi Lakes are popular for swimming and boating.
The ancient Waipoua forest has New Zealand’s largest tree, a Kauri tree known as Tane Mahuta, and is popular for hiking and tramping.
The almost sub-tropical climate and beautiful scenery make this one of the most attractive areas of New Zealand.
Student Safety
Our young farmers’ safety is paramount and we have staff on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week to support them. All emergency procedures are carefully explained as part of orientation.
