More than just a Christmas tree
We think choosing your tree should be part of Christmas itself. Bring the kids. Bring Nana. Bring your friends. Bring the camera.
Pick your own real Christmas tree.
Whanganui’s longest-established Christmas tree farm. Since 2012 we’ve been growing trees for families to wander, choose and take home.
The 2026 season
Opening Saturday 28 November
Opening day
Saturday 28 November
from 9.00am
December hours
Monday to Thursday
3.00pm–7.00pm
Saturday and Sunday
9.00am–4.00pm
Price
$50
All trees 6ft and over
How it works
Bring the family, bring your friends and come for a wander through the rows. Take your time and find the tree that feels just right for your Christmas.
Come to the farm
Find us at 131F Roberts Ave, Whanganui, and follow the signs.
Wander through the trees
Take your time looking through the rows.
Choose your favourite
Tall, short, bushy, skinny, perfectly shaped or a little bit wonky. Find the one you love.
We’ll cut it for you
One of our Elves will cut your tree and get it ready to go.
Take it home
Straight away, tagged for collection closer to Christmas, or delivered for a small fee.
Let Christmas begin!
Get it into water, decorate it and enjoy that wonderful fresh pine smell.
Once you’ve chosen your tree
Take it home straight away
We’ll cut your tree and you can take it home with you.
Tag it for later
Found the one but not ready to take it home? We’ll tag it, and you can collect it closer to Christmas.
Have it delivered
Rather leave the transporting to us? We can deliver for a small fee at a time that suits. Just give Vaughan a call.
Years from now, you might not remember what presents were under the tree. But you might remember the year the kids chose the wonky one.
Real trees aren’t perfectly identical, and they’re not made in a factory. Every one has its own little personality, and every year they become part of your Christmas memories.
Make it a family tradition
It’s the trip to the farm.
It’s the kids running through the trees.
It’s deciding which one is the one.
It’s getting it home and putting it up.
And every time you walk past it, that fresh pine smell says Christmas is here!
Meet the Elves
Rachael and Vaughan Dawson
We’re the Elves who do Santa’s important work of growing Hylton Ridge Real Christmas Trees. We started the farm in 2012 because we both love the festive season, and have such happy memories of Christmases with family and friends growing up.
A fresh pine-scented tree was always a highlight of a New Zealand summer Christmas. We wanted today’s families to have that same magic.
It’s special seeing familiar faces come back year after year, how much your kids have grown, and the new little ones who’ve arrived since your last visit.
And then there’s Shelby, our Labrador, who is always very keen to greet everyone who arrives. Don’t forget to say hello!
Looking after your real Christmas tree
It’s a living tree. The most important thing is to get it into water as soon as you get home.
Give it a fresh cut if needed
If it’s been a while getting home, cut about 1cm off the base of the trunk before it goes in water. It helps the tree drink.
Keep checking the water
It drinks a lot in the first few days, so top it up often. If your fur babies think the stand is their new water bowl, that’s one more reason to check.
Keep it away from heat
Where you can, keep it out of sunny windows. A cooler spot keeps it fresh for longer.
Don’t let the stand run dry
Once it’s been in water, never let the level drop below the base of the trunk. Keep checking right through the season.
Come and find us
131F Roberts Ave, Whanganui
We’re on the left, halfway up the Roberts Ave hill. Just follow the signs!