Marlborough is renown around the globe for its distinctive style of sauvignon blanc, but less well known are the many local restoration projects aimed at protecting New Zealand’s native flora and fauna.
Ruru/Morepork
Kaipupu Point Wildlife Sanctuary, near Picton in the Marlborough Sounds, is one such project that started as an idea and has been made possible with the collaborative efforts of local community and businesses.
The Kaipupu Point Mainland Island Society was established in 2005, and since then hundreds of people and businesses have volunteered their time and resources to create the sanctuary, which was opened to the public in March this year.
The sanctuary is a circular-shaped headland and physically it is almost an island, with only a narrow, flat connection to the mainland.
A predator-proof fence was built across this neck in 2008 to prevent wild cats, stoats, ferrets and other predators entering the reserve.
Predator-proof fence
Pockets of beautiful big trees represent the original cover of native forest which survived through the period of extensive farming and since pests have been eliminated, more and more native birds, lizards and invertebrates are finding sanctuary there.
Currently 50 breeding boxes for New Zealand’s Little Blue Penguin are being built for the sanctuary, to provide a safe environment for them to roost and raise their chicks.
Everyone is welcome to visit the sanctuary, which is a 15 minute boat trip from Picton, (by your own boat or water taxi) and free to enter, although donations for ongoing maintenance and pest control are welcomed!
Us Kiwis are immensely proud of our wild and rugged landscapes and Saint Clair Family Estate is proud to support the Kaipupu Point Sounds Wildlife Sanctuary, a safe place for our native wildlife to flourish which will be enjoyed for generations.
Kereru
Bellbird
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