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Dual finalist honours in 2026 Tourism and Business Awards

MEDIA RELEASE  9 September 2026  Dual finalist honours for Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari in 2026 Tourism and Business Awards Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari has earned recognition on both the national and regional stage, being named as a finalist in two categories in both the 2026 New Zealand Tourism Awards and in the 2026 Waikato Business Awards. CEO Helen Hughes says Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is unbelievably proud to be named finalists in these prestigi...

H5 Bird Flu Update

H5 bird flu (HPAI H5N1) has been confirmed in the Wellington region, after an ocean-going brown skua found in Petone tested positive for the virus. Days later, a kahu (Australasian harrier) in Wairarapa was also confirmed to be infected.At Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, we have been preparing for this scenario for the past 18 months. Our response plan has been developed in alignment with national guidelines and in partnership with mana whenua and builds on the strong biosecurity practices we ...

Record-breaking 800 kiwi translocated from Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari

MEDIA RELEASE14 May 2026Record-breaking 800 kiwi translocated from Sanctuary Mountain MaungatautariSanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, Save the Kiwi, and mana whenua haves made conservation history, with the cumulative total of kiwi translocated from the sanctuary surpassing 800. This figure is the result of just four years of translocations and represents the largest kiwi translocation programme undertaken from any one wild source site in Aotearoa New Zealand, placing it among the largest bi...

International Trading in Biodiversity Credits

Ekos and Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari have completed an international biodiversity credit transaction with a European hotel, marking a milestone for New Zealand’s nature markets and growing demand for high-integrity conservation outcomes....

Parliament hosts wild kiwi

MEDIA RELEASE BY CAPITAL KIWI28 April 2026...

Overnight Stay in Education Centre

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Our overnight stay at Sanctuary Mountain was an absolute highlight! The youth are still buzzing. The experience is truly immersive—from the daytime beauty of the native birds to the magic of the mountain after dark. The night tour was a standout; getting to see bats and hearing the call of kiwis echoing through the trees was surreal. We even spotted a massive eel in the mountain pond!Te Awamutu Scout GroupRead about kids greening Taupo's student leader overnight campFind...

Summer Carving Project

Over the summer, the Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari whānau were joined by a very talented carver, Taj, who brought his amazing skills and creative energy to an important project unfolding here on the maunga."Tainui te WakaWaikato te AwaTautari te MaungaRaukawa te iwiTihei Mauriora"Taj has recently graduated from the Te Puia Arts and Crafts Institute, where he completed a three‑year scholarship in traditional styles, tools, and technologies.Taj is from Raukawa iwi where he has participated i...

Young takahē take flight from Maungatautari, boosting national recovery.

MEDIA RELEASEFriday 20 March 2026...

Kiwi from Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari Move to Karioi Rāhui

MEDIA RELEASEFriday 20 March 2026...

Annual Report 2024 - 2025

We have rebuilt partnerships, diversified revenue streams, and pioneered conservation finance through Biodiversity Credits and an endowment fund with Momentum Waikato. Tourism and education have grown, with record visitor numbers, new tours, and on-site accommodation generating fresh income. Cultural connections deepened, and community outreach expanded to vulnerable groups. Despite resource constraints and predator challenges, our team delivered world-class conservation outcomes....

Weekend Shuttle Service Launches

Outdoor adventurers keen to traverse one of the Waikato's premier one-day hikes now have a new way to experience the ancient forest of Maungatautari—without the logistical juggle. Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari has launched a Weekend Shuttle Service, starting Saturday 25 October, connecting the southern Tari Road Visitor Car Park with the northern Hicks Road trailhead. This service unlocks access to two spectacular crossing tracks and removes a major barrier for trampers and trail runners wh...

New Cultural Tour - The Moa Hunter

Media Release22 October 2025...

AGM Invitation 2025

RSVP to register your attendance to the MEIT AGM, 2025...

Welcoming a new cohort of Mahoenui giant wētā

MEDIA RELEASESource: The Department of ConservationWednesday 27 August 2025...

Taking New Zealand Biodiversity to the World

This is the first time a New Zealand conservation project is trading biodiversity credits on an international trading platform. This provides direct access to global audiences, connecting the world to the incredible biodiversity outcomes for which New Zealand is renowned....

Learning through nature

Pukeatua School partners with Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari to inspire young kaitiaki. Through hands-on learning in the ngahere, students explore ecosystems, conservation, and te ao Māori—building curiosity, pride, and connection to nature....

Forest Fungi

Published by Forest Health News No. 319 - June 2025 (Scion)...

Biodiversity Credits to Boost Conservation

Today, after four years of intensive design, testing, collaboration and verifying, Ekos, partnering with Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, are launching credits under their BioCredita Programme – a biodiversity market programme....

Enriching the Chorus

Hunua kōkako take flight to sing a new song at Maungatautari.Kōkako ki runga, kōkako ki raro, kōkako ki Maungatautari, kōkako ki te whei ao, ki te ao mārama. Tīhei mauriora!...

Biodiversity Credits Pilot

Media Release...

Young Kākā Join the Forest Whānau

On May 21st, five North Island kākā took flight into the forest on Maungatautari, following weeks of care in our purpose-built aviary. These special manu—four captive-bred and one rehabilitated local—are the latest to join our kākā whānau....

From Wetland to Wild: A Takahē Journey

This year has been a busy season for takahē breeding. We have had two families of four over the breeding season and sadly had to wave goodbye to our yearling female "Puanga" this year on the 16th April as she was due to join the new wild population in the Rees Valley. Her little brother (yet to be named) will miss her the most, as Puanga largely played the role of Mum this year, feeding the little one regularly when he was growing up in the Tautari Wetland. She did such a great job that parents...

Kākāpō Booming on Mainland

Kākāpō at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari have completed their first season of booming – something that has not been heard on the North Island of mainland Aotearoa for more than a century....

Farmers rally behind kiwi

Can You Help Drive the Mission Forward?...

Funding Boost

Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari (SMM) welcomes a significant funding boost of $750,000 over the next three years to support its biodiversity, conservation, and translocation work, thanks to the International Visitor Levy (IVL) as announced by Conservation Minister Tama Potaka on Saturday 22 February 2025....