Restoring the Wild: How Mamaku Point is Protecting Stewart Island’s Future
An Expedition to Stewart Island, New Zealand
Stewart Island (or Rakiura) sits at the southernmost edge of New Zealand—a rugged and largely untouched wilderness spanning over 170,000 hectares. With 96% of the island protected within their national park, this place is something out of the past, a glimpse as to what New Zealand was like well before our time. With a permanent population of just 400, the island is home to some of the country’s last true wilderness, with dense forests, rare fauna, and a thriving marine ecosystem. However, introduced predators like feral cats, rats, and possums threaten the island’s biodiversity, making conservation efforts critical in order to restore its natural balance.
(Views from Mamaku Point in New Zealand. Photo Credit: Adam Moore)
At the heart of these efforts is the Mamaku Point Conservation Reserve, a predator-controlled sanctuary on Stewart Island’s peninsula. Originally established by a Californian foundation in 2000, the reserve was later passed over to the Mamaku Point Conservation Trust, led by Roy and Rachel Thompson. Their mission is twofold: to protect and enhance the island’s native biodiversity while fostering a deeper connection between people and conservation. Through habitat restoration, predator eradication, and education programs—especially for the next generation—the reserve serves as both a safe haven for endangered species and a living classroom for youth interested in becoming environmental stewards in their own lives.
Rachel, a seasoned outdoorswoman from Central Otago (as well as a dedicated enthusiast of tiny plants) led us through the reserve to her favorite lookout point. As we took in the sweeping views, she shared the deeper motivation behind her and Roy’s decision to take on this massive conservation effort at this point in their lives. For them, Mamaku Point is a refuge for some of New Zealand’s most vulnerable species and ecosystems, a place where restoration and protection go in lock-step with education and community involvement.
(Meeting Rachel and Roy Thompson on Stewart Island. Photo Credit: Adam Moore)
A Life in the Great Outdoors
Andi: Tell us what it was like growing up in New Zealand, a country known for its vast outdoors, exceptional ecosystems, wildlife, and landscapes.
Rachel: I had a wonderful childhood. I’m the youngest of five girls, and we grew up on a high-country sheep station in a small town. Growing up, I had free rein to roam, spending most of my days exploring the farm until I left for boarding school at 13. Being immersed in nature was just the way of life here.
My love for the outdoors was shaped by my family. My uncle, Ray Garston, was an Australian naturalist and wildlife photographer, and his pictures and books were always around the house. My mother adored plants, and my father was a farmer who took steps to protect native species—fencing off areas to preserve kowhai trees and other native flora. Nature was always part of our lives.
From a young age, I was involved in some hands-on conservation, helping control wilding pines and brooms around Arrowtown and Queenstown. I’ve always had a deep love for plants, especially the southern rata—a stunning native tree from the myrtle family. It bursts into vibrant red flowers over Christmas, earning its nickname, the “Christmas tree.” The birds flock to its nectar, which livens the entire landscape. You’ll find it mostly in the lower South Island and along the West Coast, though I’m not sure how extensive it once was. Everything I know today about gardening, planting and rewilding comes from a lifetime of observing and being surrounded by nature.
(Stewart Island is a glimpse into the past of New Zealand. Photo Credit: Adam Moore)
Andi: And now here you are, rewilding and rebuilding this massive reserve! What is the reserve, and what has the process been like so far?
Rachel: We took on Mamaku Point Conservation Reserve because we felt a responsibility to give back. As we became more aware of the challenges facing the natural world, we knew now was the time for us to take action. When the opportunity arose to protect this reserve, we saw it as a way to make a real impact.
For Roy, Stewart Island has always been a special place. His connection began as a child when he first visited in the 1970s, and later, as a teenager, he and his friends made it a tradition to return every year. The island’s unspoiled beauty has always drawn him back, but like much of New Zealand, it faces serious threats, such as the non-native feral cats, rats, possums, and deer. These invasive species are rapidly knocking out the endemic wildlife, in some cases, even to the brink of extinction.
(The biodiversity is high around Mamaku Point. Photo Credit: Adam Moore)
When we learned about Mamaku Point—a headland protected by a predator-proof fence—we saw an opportunity not just to conserve what was already there, but to enhance it. Our goal is to restore native habitats, reintroduce endangered species, and create a space where people, especially young New Zealanders, can engage with conservation firsthand.
The moment that solidified our decision came from a David Attenborough talk in Auckland. During the Q&A, a young brother and sister asked him whether, if he could look 50 years into the future, he thought the world would be in a better place. He hesitated, clearly with a desire to answer optimistically, but in the end, he admitted that he didn’t think it was likely. Walking out of that talk, Roy and I knew—we had to take the plunge. Mamaku Point became our way of doing something tangible, of making a difference in our own corner of the world.
The Point’s Rewilding Process
Andi: It looks like a lot of progress has been made transitioning some of the old farmland back to bush. What was that process like?
Rachel: The reserve was originally owned by a farming couple who left most of the land as bush, but a small portion was used for cattle grazing. That, combined with an overpopulation of invasive species, meant the land wasn’t in the best shape when we took it over. It certainly didn’t look like it does today.
(Predator fencing around Mamaku Point to eradicate the area from animals decimating native wildlife. Photo Credit: Adam Moore)
For the most part, rewilding has been a passive process, allowing nature to regenerate on its own. But one section—an 18-hectare coastal area—was struggling to recover. It was mostly grass, and without intervention, it would have taken far too long to regenerate. In 2020, with funding from the Ministry of Primary Industries’ Billion Trees Fund, we planted around 15,000 native seedlings. It was a massive effort, made even more challenging by global pandemic lockdowns, but it’s been incredibly successful. Many of the plants are already chest-high, and while some infill planting is still needed, the transformation is remarkable!
All the trees and plants we introduced—podocarps, hebes, flaxes—are native to New Zealand and Stewart Island specifically. They were sourced from within the reserve, propagated in our small on-site nursery, and then replanted. What many people overlook is the importance of this kind of flora. From an outside perspective, the bush in and out of the reserve might look the same, but stepping in, you see the difference immediately. The forest here is alive—full of young seedlings and regenerating understory. Outside the fence, deer, possums, and rats have grazed the understory down to almost nothing, leaving an ecosystem struggling to sustain itself. The trees surrounding us now are up to 800 years old, and thanks to conservation efforts, the next generation of giants is already taking root.
(Rewilding efforts on the property have been tackled by Rachel and Roy Thompson. Photo Credit: Adam Moore)
Another key project is expanding the coastal turf habitat along the seaward face. Coastal turf is an endangered ecosystem, so we’re working to restore it by increasing the populations of native species like shore euphorbia and hebe while gradually removing invasive grasses. It’s a challenging environment to work in—coastal faces aren’t easy to plant on—but we’re committed to making progress.
Looking back, this rewilding work has been an enormous undertaking and one that left me a bit skeptical at first. But now, seeing the results, the effort was absolutely worth it. We’re starting to see positive changes in the ecosystem, including an increase in seabirds. In the future, we hope to reintroduce and translocate native species that once called this place home.
Andi: What are some of the species you'd like to reintroduce here?
Rachel: Right now, we’re focused on two lizard species—the Rakiura green skink and the harlequin gecko. We’re in discussions with Iwi (Indigenous tribes) and the Department of Conservation (DOC), working with herpetologist Trent Bell to explore their translocation. With any reintroduction, the source population has to be carefully considered to avoid disruption, and with lizards, there’s an added step—they need to be housed in a breeding enclosure first. Their numbers have to build up before they can be released into the wider reserve, making it a long-term project spanning 10 to 20 years of monitoring and care.
(Kiwi spotting at night on Rachel and Roy’s land. Photo Credit: Adam Moore)
Interestingly, there are no native land mammals in New Zealand—except for long-tailed bats, which we do see on the reserve. They love flying along the fence line, though we haven’t yet pinpointed their roosting sites. A local conservation group, SIRCET, is currently applying for funding to study them further.
While this isn’t an introduction, we’re steadfast in continuing to protect our kiwi population here. Stewart Island is one of the best places to see them in the wild—whether on the tracks, in town, or even just walking home from dinner. While kiwi tend to steal the spotlight, we have 26 native bird species here in total, all of which we’re equally committed to protecting and educating our visitors about.
Commitment to the Next Generation
Andi: On that note, education seems to be a major focus for you here. Can you share more about the work you’re doing on that front?
Rachel: Education is one of the most important aspects of the reserve. We want to instill a love for nature in young people so they grow up understanding its value and feeling a responsibility to protect it. That’s why we bring school groups into the reserve’s camp, giving them hands-on experiences in conservation.
(Roy and Rachel showing the Edges of Earth expedition team around the Mamaku Point boundaries. Photo Credit: Adam Moore)
Each school visit is different. Some programs focus on Māori history, others emphasize outdoor skills like fishing and exploring, while many dive into conservation work. Students help with planting, potting, and clearing around seedlings, which is a huge help for us. We’ve had schools from Otago returning year after year—one for seven years, another for six—and new schools continue to join. To make conservation education more accessible, we also offer a free camp each year to a school doing meaningful work in the space.
The groups range widely, from entire small schools with students aged 5 to 17, to older students in Year 13, and younger ones around Year 6 to 8. It’s not just schools, either—Scouts, Girl Guides, and other youth organizations from across New Zealand visit, adding to the diversity of learning experiences.
In the early years, we had about 80 students visiting annually. This past year, that number has grown to around 1,400, mostly school groups. Every child who comes here is reminded of one thing: appreciate and protect nature. When you experience the wild firsthand, it changes you. Very few people leave a place like this without wanting to help protect it.
(From land to sea, there’s a lot worth protecting around Stewart Island. Photo Credit: Andi Cross)
Andi: So what’s up next for you and Roy? What are the big goals driving you?
Rachel: Our main focus is on translocations and making meaningful conservation gains. With climate change, human development, and other environmental pressures hitting New Zealand and the world harder than ever, we need to protect what we have and rebuild what’s been lost to create climate resilience.
And unsurprisingly, we’re already seeing shifts—coastal waters are warming, ecosystems are changing, and some species are struggling. There’s a hoiho (yellow-eyed penguin) recovery center on our property, and teams on the island, as well as Yellow-Eyed Penguin Trust are on the frontlines responding to the changes. These penguins are in a losing battle during their molting season, likely due to changes in their food sources, so these teams bring them in, rehabilitate them, and release them back into the wild. But this is just one piece of a much bigger puzzle.
(Rachel Thompson on the Mamaku Point property. Photo Credit: Adam Moore)
Beyond species protection, our long-term vision is, and always will be, rewilding—restoring this land as close as possible to what it was 200 years ago. That means not only removing invasive species but also creating safe, thriving environments for native birds, lizards, and even invertebrates that often go overlooked. Conservation isn't just about saving individual species—it’s about rebuilding entire ecosystems. That’s what’s driving everything we do.
At Mamaku Point, our goals are clear: protect and enhance biodiversity, engage and educate people—especially young New Zealanders—so they form a lifelong connection to nature, and to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the reserve. Because ultimately, true conservation success isn’t just about the work we do today—it’s about making sure this place remains protected for generations to come.
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As Told to: Andi Cross | Photography By: Adam Moore | Support From: Mamaku Point Conservation Reserve
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SHE Changes Climate collaborates with the Edges of Earth Expedition, a woman-led team dedicated to highlighting impactful stories from the environmental frontlines. This partnership focuses on amplifying the voices of women who are pioneering positive change in some of the world’s most vulnerable coastal and marine environments, many of whose stories have gone untold.