Featured NBR Rich List: Skeggs family
David Skeggs and his brothers Bryan and Graeme have taken over the ownership and running of the Skeggs Group.
With major investments in tourism, wine and oysters the South Island’s Skeggs Group is perfectly placed to tap into New Zealand’s flourishing leisure industry.
Founded in 1958 by Sir Clifford Skeggs, the self-made ‘Boy from Bluff’ was a pioneer in deepwater fishing and created New Zealand’s largest private inshore fleet on the back of a booming crayfish export market. At one stage the company had interests in everything from forestry to live deer recovery and coastal shipping and at one stage operated its own airline, Pacifica Air.
Nowadays the fishing side of the business is confined to a 12.5% shareholding in Barnes Oysters whose wild Bluff oysters were in big demand when the 2018 season opened and were selling for up to $65 a dozen at Waiheke Island’s Oyster Inn.
Arguably the largest investment has been in tourism. In addition to Southern Discoveries, which operates boat trips in Queenstown and Milford Sound, the Skeggs Group operates speed boats on the Shotover River and owns the luxury Milford Lodge. Also on the books is the Port Denerau Marina, which has been designated by the Fijian government as an official port of entry.
Sir Clifford also ventured into winemaking in 1996 with the establishment of Akarua, the largest family-owned winery in Central Otago, which now owns five vineyards covering 120ha including two sites in the prestigious Bannockburn sub-region.
Knighted in 1987, Sir Clifford is perhaps best remembered for his involvement in local politics as mayor of Dunedin for 12 years between 1977 and 1989.
Through the Skeggs Foundation, his family has provided financial support to Otago athletes since 1993, including Olympic Games participants and winners Alison Shanks and Hamish Bond. Fuel bought on a Skeggs Mobilcard also raises funds for the foundation’s annual grant scheme.
Now in his late 80s, Sir Clifford has left the ownership and running of the Skeggs Group to his three sons, David, Bryan and Graeme while he and Lady Marie enjoy their retirement in Wanaka.
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