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About us
Environmental modification at its very best!
This is what the Zizania Paper Mill is doing so very well. Here a talented
group are turning the scourge of the Northern Wairoa River to their advantage.
 From
the banks of the great, brown, muddy Northern Wairoa River the
Manchurian Rice Grass is cut, pulped, cooked, soaked, composted
into a foul smelling concoction which is finally pressed to create
a unique, tough, attractive hand made paper.
Manchurian Rice Grass - botanical name Zizania latifolia
- arrived in the late 1800s as ballast in seed form embedded in
bricks, sundried in a field in China. On arrival in the Northern
Wairoa the ballast was tipped into the river to make room for
the prized Kauri spars and here the seeds found a perfect habitat.
Now the Northern Wairoa has the only substantial colony of Manchurian
Rice Grass in New Zealand.
 In 2000 the old Northland Dairy Company Administrative
buildings were found to fit the bill. It had been a major employer
in Dargaville since the early days of settlement and with the
economic restructuring of the 80's closed its doors.
Christine Rope purchased the company in 2007 and it
was moved to Te Kopuru which is about 10km south of Dargaville.
The paper and cards can be bought from various outlets
throughout New Zealand and if you happen to be passing through
the Kauri Coast area, please feel free to drop in.
The above is a very labour intensive operation but
this dedication adds to the strength and quality of the paper
that is produced by Zizania Paper Mill.
Dargaville and the Kauri Coast
There are 30 communities to visit and more than 60
activities to do. We also have plenty of places to stay, camp,
and eat at! For more details about Dargaville and the Kauri Coast
click here (PDF
file 740kb).
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