Tim Wallis
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He was born in Greymouth, on the West Coast, went to Christ's College and his father was in the timber industry.
Pioneer of the live deer recovery industry in New Zealand's South Island, Sir Tim Wallis built an aviation empire around helicopter operations, pulling valuable animals out of the rugged high country. For many years he held monopoly over the rights to commercial hunting in Fiordland National Park. Moving into deer farming during the 1970's, he was among the first to see the potential of the indusrty in New Zealand and his farm, Criffel, became a centre of excellence for high quality genetics and served as a model for many other farmers. Wallis forged trade relationships in Russia, Korea and Hong Kong that saw exports of velvet, antler, pizzle and even live deer to Asia.
Wallis is the Founder of the Alpine Fighter Collection and the New Zealand Fighter Pilots' Museum. He also started the Warbirds over Wanaka airshow in 1988.
Wallis is a strong supporter of the New Zealand National Party.
He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1994 for services to deer farming, export and the community.
Sir Tim was seriously injured in a helicopter accident in 1968 but managed to continue his flying career until a crash of his historic Supermarine Spitfire aircraft in 1996 left him medically unfit to fly.
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“A born entrepreneur, he has gone into the deer business in countries as far apart, geographically and culturally, as Russia (southern Siberia), Vanuatu and Canada. His expertise in wild animal capture was in demand from countries such as the United States. “In the past 20 years he has collected World War II warplanes and since 1988 has displayed them at the phenomenally successful airshow Warbirds Over Wanaka.” Neville Peat says the 330-page, strikingly-illustrated book, published by Longacre Press in Dunedin, is brimming with adventure, drama, humour, and never-say-die audacity. “It is a tribute to a man, now aged 67, who likes always to be at the frontier of things.”
