They have since planted more than 15,000 native plants and built over two kilometres of walking tracks that criss-cross the Reserve, creating a verdant oasis while helping to restore this strategically-located land to its former beauty. 

With a pest-control programme also in place, the Reserve is seeing the return of many native birds. Early morning of as the sun sets, are lovely times to visit McKenzie Reserve as the birds are active and singing to their hearts content. While the Friends of McKenzie Reserve has a small committee overseeing its strategic vision, it has over 200 people on its database and on Facebook, who volunteer and participate in regular working bees tackling weed control, planting and track building and maintenance. This has been carried out through a unique partnership with Auckland Council, who own McKenzie Reserve.  Auckland Council has provided consultation, materials and plants to assist the locals on this project and helped to co-ordinate and support the restoration of the Reserve.

The Hauraki Gulf Conservation Trust was invited by the Friends of McKenzie Reserve to assist their restoration work through funding applications to various organisations for grants.

To date, the Trust has helped secure over $75,000 for use in restoring this strategic public asset for the enjoyment of local residents and visitors to the island.

In 2012, a grant from the ASB Community Trust enabled the formation of an educational hub. The hub is centred in an area where there are a number of tall stumps of the former pine trees, with the idea that these are a visual reminder of what used to be there. The formation of the hub includes the installation of recycled power poles which is in keeping with the Friends sustainability goals.

Educational signage has been wrapped around the power poles and cover conservation and educational themes such as:

• the process of re-vegetation within specific ecosystems
• before/after/during the transformation…the story behind the Reserves
• it’s a people thing: how a few people can make a huge environmental difference within the community
• bird life – what there is and what it is hoped to attract with planting and pest controlling the creation of a rich native forest and identification of plant species

Many school and community groups enjoy time in the Reserve and the Friends of McKenzie Reserve Committee, has bold plans to increase the usage in the next five years.

The Reserve has an extensive network of tracks connecting to a lookout over the Hauraki Gulf, the education/information hub and the surrounding roads (Empire Avenue, Coromandel and Great Barrier Roads) including one that leads people to Enclosure Bay and one to Sandy Bay.  One of the tracks forms part of the Te Ara Hura 100km walk around Waiheke Island.    

The Reserve is also fortunate to be home to one of local Waiheke Island artist, Chris Bailey’s stunning pieces, Te Rerenga Wai O Tikapa Moana. It translates as the flowing waters of Tikapa Moana/Hauraki Gulf. Chris says that the eight pou represent, “Those that have been on the island for a long time – the hapu that were here, all the iwi that were coming and using these waterways. Even today, this island is really a transitional place.

“These waterways were highways for trade and warring parties. That’s what I was honouring – the Tikapa Moana, and it is really important to me that it is staying where it was created.”

The piece was purchased and gifted by the Sculpture on the Gulf Trust as a first, in the aim of having more art in community spaces on Waiheke Island.

Scattered along the tracks are six unique log ‘lift up’ interactive signs for children, that provide details about the creatures found in the Reserve.

The community now has access to an area of regenerating native bush and educational context that reminds every one of the transformations that are possible with dedication, will and financial support.

In 2018 the fourth five-year project plan was presented to the Hauraki Gulf Conservation Trust and we intend to maintain a long-term relationship with Friends of McKenzie Reserve, to see the completion of the restoration works being carried out in accordance with the plan developed by Friends of McKenzie Reserve and Auckland City.

Regular working bees for weeding, mulching, planting and pest control and fundraising activities have continued totalling over 500 volunteer hours per year.

The need for funds and volunteer help to continue the restoration programme is ongoing, so if you can assist as a volunteer or donor, please contact Niki Schuck on 021911332 or niki@nsprltd.com and we will help you get involved. You might like to consider following them on Facebook, TFOMR or The Friends of McKenzie Reserve.

The Festival has become increasingly popular and in 2012 was the proud winner of the inaugaral Outdoors New Zealand Event Award. In 2013, the Festival offered 38 fully attended free walks, some with expert guides or celebrities such as author Janet Hunt, TVNZ reporter John Hudson and Sir Graham Henry. 2014 saw the Festival grow to 45 walks with approx 2,000 registrations and an estimated 800 walkers. It was also an opportunity to introduce elements of Te Ara Hura (the 100km around Waiheke Walkway).The Finale saw locals SIr Peter Leitch and Sir Graham Henry team up on the BBQ! The 2015 Festival included 46 walks, 2 social events, and the inaugural Te Ara Loop Adventure. 2016’s Festival was the biggest yet with 50 walks including the Te Ara Hura Loop adventure again, 2200 registrations and approx 1500 walkers.

Regular sponsors have included the Waiheke Local Board/Auckland Council, Fullers, Foundation North, Lotteries Commission, Macpac and Sealink. Other local businesses that have been involved include, Stay Waiheke, Simply B, EcoZip, Dead Dog Bay Wetland Garden and Sculpture, Te Whau,The Batch, Peacock Sky , Passage Rock, Man O’War , Casita Miro, The Goldie Room, Mudbrick and Kennedy Point Vineyards, and Local photographers Emma Hughes, Peter Rees and Phillipa Kahn. Without their support and contribution the Festival would not function as it does.

The Trust recognised the support of the previous Waiheke Community Board and the current Waiheke Local Board in creating, extending and improving the network of over 80 km of public walkways on Waiheke Island. Without their vision and commitment, this Festival would not be possible.

Several private landowners, many of whom have a passion for enhancing the natural environment and for conservation, have also generously made their properties available, providing access to usually unseen parts of the Island, such as Rorohara, Te Matuku and Man of War Station.

The Festival appeals to both locals, Aucklanders, NZ and overseas visitors (from as far as field as the UK, Europe, The US, South America, South Africa etc). Many come over and stay for the whole 9 days inputing valuable dollars, during the “Shoulder Season”, into the local economy. For further information and details of this years festival, please see www.waihekewalkingfestival.org.

From 1 April 2017 the ownership of the Festival was transferred to the Waiheke Walking Trust who’s Trustees include John & Jo Gow, Tessa Shaw, Tim Huston and Denise Whitfield who has run the Festival for the Trust over the last 4 years. The HGCT is delighted the Festival is now in a Trust focused around walking on Waiheke and can continue to focus its attention on Conservation project knowing the Festival is in good hands.

Te Toki Reserve located between Ostend and Surfdale on Waiheke Island is around 8 hectares and is open parkland fringed by mature forest and wetland. It is a unique coastal environment where six distinctive ecotone sequences are clearly visible from broadleaf podocarp forest, through to freshwater wetland, salt-water wetland and finally mangroves.

Te Toki/Okahuiti enjoys Scientific and Scenic Reserve status and is a stunningly beautiful place to visit and an important educational resource for generations to come.

It was previously leased and farmed by longtime Waiheke farmer John McGregor who used it to run cattle and sheep before it was bought by the former Auckland Council in 1992 and became part of the greenbelt between built up residential areas of Waiheke. In 1998 8 hectares were designated as a scenic reserve and in 2007 the Friends of Te Toki Reserve and Okahuiti Wetland was formed as a result of a public meeting organised by the Waiheke Island Wetlands Initiative (WIWI) and Auckland City Council.  Since that time, the group of around 25 locals has been active in noxious weed control, track-making, mulching a grove of water-stressed mature Taraire and planting native trees. Students from Auckland Grammar have also planted trees as part of the Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme.

The short-term objective of this restoration project is weed control, planting and track-making. The long-term objective is to protect this fragile coastal ecosystem and enhance its biodiversity.

In August 2009, the Friends of Te Toki Reserve and Okahuiti Wetland received a grant from the Department of Conservation (DOC) to continue the weed control and planting programme over the next two years.  At their request, the Hauraki Gulf Conservation Trust administered these funds on their behalf.

In 2012 and 2014, the Hauraki Gulf Conservation Trust helped secure further funding through ASB Community Trust (now Foundation North) grants. These enabled further mulching, the removal of gorse and tobacco weed, the purchase and planting of native trees, and weed control within existing planting through one of the wetland areas.  A board-walk was also constructed. In April 2016 further funding was obtained by the Hauraki Gulf Conservation Trust from Foundation North to enable further plants to be purchased to expand a kauri grove and enlarge the area of broad leaf forest and to carry out further weed control across the reserve.

The Te Toki Reserve is well utilised by the community. It is being transformed from farmland into a re-vegetated forest and a natural grasslands area. With a relatively small number of old native trees, new plantings are extending both the variety and number of native flora. Native birds are returning and the grasslands area is enhanced as a result of weed control. The whole project has engaged wider community interest in the ongoing preservation and development of the reserve.

Be Involved

Should you wish to become involved as a volunteer at Te Toki Reserve or to contribute funds towards the restoration of this important project, please contact Tony King-Turner on 372-7821 or tonykingturner@gmail.com.

About the Waiheke Schools Wetland Restoration Project, Surfdale, Waiheke Island

Waiheke is fortunate to have a number of intact wetland systems, which act as giant filtration systems as fresh water finds its way to the coast and eventually mixes with sea water. These wetland systems are unique to the New Zealand landscape. Many of these vital living wetlands have, however, been destroyed or severely modified when roads and bridges have been constructed and where the land has been developed by residential, commercial or farming use over the years.

This important wetland is situated in the heart of residential Surfdale adjacent to the main road. Until recently, this 2ha catchment was infested with all manner of weeds including willow trees, macrocarpa, privet and pampas. Former Hauraki Gulf Conservation Trust Trustee, Tony King-Turner, was the driving force behind restoring this wetland to a fully functioning and aesthetically pleasing micro-environment.

A motivated group was formed in 2007, consisting informally of members of the Waiheke Island Wetland Initiative (WIWI), teachers from Waiheke High School and Te Huruhi Primary School, Waiheke High School Board of Trustees and local officers from Auckland Council. Several acres of pampas were cut and mulched by a tractor and rotary slasher.

Since then, thousands of native plants have been planted by pupils of both schools and a weed control programme has been carried out by contractors and local volunteers including students.

Local earth-movers have provided machinery and their time. Cleanstream has donated large amounts of mulch, and a local couple plus another business have donated several thousand dollars towards planting and materials.

In 2012, the Hauraki Gulf Conservation Trust successfully helped secure funding from the ASB Community Trust (now Foundation North) which enabled the work to progress with both voluntary and paid labour.  Weed control was carried out over the winter months. The spreading of mulch was completed and topsoil was brought in to create a more suitable environment for replanting. The gravel walkway was completed to enable easier access to the planted areas for weed control, pest control and watering.

A formal working party in partnership with the Waiheke High School Board of Trustees has been formed to oversee the remainder of the project. Contractors are used for work such as spraying, earthworks, spreading gravel on a walkway, while volunteers, including corporate eg NZ Media and Entertainment, are used for weeding, planting and mulching. 

In October 2014 further funds were secured form the ASB Community Trust (now Foundation North) by the Hauraki Gulf Conservation Trust which allowed the next phase of the project including the replacement of gum trees with natives, ongoing weed control and mulching and the enrichment planting of appropriate native trees.

The wetland area is regenerating due to the re-vegetation with native flora and the clearing of intrusive noxious plants. This has improved the water quality which flows to a nearby beach and enhanced the habitat for a wide range of native aquatic wildlife such such as pukeko, kingfishers, tui and eels.  Students now use the restored wetlands for environmental study projects. The wider community has also benefited by the retention and improvement of the quality of a valuable wetland asset.

In April 2016 the Hauraki Gulf Conservation Trust obtained further funding from Foundation North which will allow further weed control, the supply and spreading of mulch, further native planting alongside a part of the bridle path to create a broadleaf/podocarp forest, continuation of the track alongside the southern edge of the wetland and the construction of a small boardwalk across the stream.