What's On at Zealandia

Recently we hosted a very special awards night for the volunteers of Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne. 

Over 500 people continue to support our staff by volunteering across the organisation, from infrastructure maintenance to regular and new conservation projects, and all the other tasks in between. Many of them have been with us since the very beginning of the sanctuary when the ground-breaking fence was put in place, while others have joined recently and are very welcome to the whānau.

Find out more about the award recipients here.

Some very special visitors came to Zealandia this month. These Conservation Dogs were helping sniff out kiwi for a kiwi pukupuku/little spotted kiwi survey in Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne.

Yesterday our solid sanctuary biosecurity systems put in place by our conservation team were put to the test, with a weasel discovered dead in a DOC200 trap at the southern end of the sanctuary. The good news is our safe-guarding systems are working.

We are excited to announce that Rātā Cafe is participating in Wellington’s iconic Wellington on a Plate festival this year!

Lynn Freeman has been a Zealandia volunteer for many years and is our most recent recipient of our Faye Schaef Award. This award is given to a volunteer who exhibits kindness, generosity, modesty, dedication, friendliness and approachability. She is a staunch advocate for Zealandia and wildlife and is a true asset to our community. Read on to find out more about her volunteer journey.

With the season ending on 26 August, it is the last month to experience a Dawn Tour for 2024!

The new boardwalk down Te Māhanga track is now open! Thank you again for your patience as we carried out this important mahi.

Thinking you won't see any birds if you come to Zealandia in the winter months? Well, think again!

Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne relies heavily on our amazing community of volunteers. Our volunteers help us with a wide range of tasks and activities. They come from all walks of life and are passionate supporters of the work we do. We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without them.

The sanctuary will be closed on 23-25 July for the felling of some large pine trees over Lake Road. There will be no access into the valley for anyone for the health and safety of our visitors, volunteers and staff. The shuttles are cancelled for the three days. Rātā Café and the Visitor Centre will remain open.  Night tours will not be impacted as all work will finish by 5pm each day.

The lower section of Union Mine track and Lake Road between the toilet block and Tūī Terrace will also be closed on 26, 29, and 30 July for the same reason, but the sanctuary will be open. You can use Te Māhanga to bypass the closure, but unfortunately, mobility scooters and wheelchairs won’t be able to go past the closure.