Nestled behind the south eastern coast of Waiheke Island is a tiny gem of an island that feels like – and is – another world.
At just 80 hectares, Rotoroa Island is small enough to visit for the day, but also large enough to reward the curiosity of anyone exploring further – and extraordinary taonga await those that do: endangered species protected in their natural habitat through exceptional conservation work, an award-winning museum, and a fascinating history.
Rotoroa Island is managed by the Rotoroa Island Trust, which was established in 2008. It has a 99-year lease from The Salvation Army which enabled it to transform the island from a place of restoration solely for people to one that is now for wildlife and recreation. The funding is enabled by gifts from Neal and Annette Plowman, who also established the NEXT Foundation.
Before opening the island to the public in 2011, more than 20,000 pine trees were felled to make room for 400,000 native plants, holiday homes were restored to encourage people to stay and experience the island overnight, and the trust undertook a major programme to make the island predator-free. Since then, a 5-year partnership with Auckland Zoo has also helped to develop a wildlife sanctuary for endangered species in need of care including takahē, tīeke (saddleback), kiwi, skinks and pateke (brown teal).
Today, say the Trust’s Operations Manager, Jo Ritchie, and Marketing Manager, Angela Bishop, visitors are welcomed to this private island sanctuary. There they can connect with nature and gain a better understanding of conservation, as well as the island’s heritage as a place of recovery and renewal.
Jo and Angela sat down with Sustainable Impact to share the work of the trust and the legacy they are working so hard to build.
What’s the primary mission of Rotoroa Island Trust, and how did it come about?
“This is an island of restoration, and that’s for people and wildlife,” says Jo Ritchie. “It follows directly on from the 100 years of Salvation Army ownership of the island to restore people recovering from addiction. We’ve just slightly modified that restoration principle, and when people who were former clients come back here, they’re blown away by the new legacy of restoration that is now taking place under the trust. There’s a lovely link there.”
Jo adds that a key restoration project that volunteers including MinterEllisonRuddWatts have been involved with to date is planting, although this programme is largely finished now.
“We have a group of regular volunteers who now come and do anything from operating our information kiosk to weed control and guided walks, helping us out with our biosecurity to keep the island pest free, and helping us maintain our tracks. Our corporate volunteers come and do things like track construction and vegetation clearing, as well as providing pro bono support, especially with health and safety, and the commercially astute legal advice and support that MinterEllisonRuddWatts provides. It’s all really valuable to us because it enables us to get more work done in a shorter period of time and supports our goal to be financially sustainable.”
At pains to say that the key to everything taking place at Rotoroa is collective effort and impact, Jo says that the trust welcomes anyone who wants to lend a hand.
“Anyone who comes to the island and helps us out makes a difference because there’s more work than just our two island rangers can do. They look after many of the tasks that help make the island the welcoming for visitors.
“Our regular volunteers can come and stay the night, and they often bring their partners, who then become volunteers for us as well. So, it’s really nice for a couple to come to the island and help us out. And even if people just come for a day, they might just do a bit of weeding, but when a lot of people do that throughout the year it makes a really big, collective difference to the island.”
We really want to grow our volunteer base, looking for more and more regular volunteers and groups.
The next big challenges on the island
This is all about managing weeds, dogs and rats, says Jo. “Our volunteers are helping with the weeds, but probably a bigger threat to the island are the rats that swim over from nearby islands, and people bringing dogs.
“In summer it can be really problematic when boaties bring dogs ashore. A number of people become quite aggressive when they do it. They won’t accept why they’re not allowed to bring their dogs ashore. Only today a kiwi catching team here caught two birds right on the beach at Pakatoa Point, which just goes to show that kiwi are right on our beaches here. I don’t think any dog owner would want their dog to kill a kiwi, so I find it really frustrating that we deal with it every summer with people and often the same people we told last year.”
Angela turns the focus towards inspiring visitors, noting that it’s often referred to as Auckland’s best kept secret. Admitting that it is a challenge to get people to visit a new destination at an end of the gulf that they are not particularly familiar with, she says a key priority she says is to build visitor, volunteer and supporter numbers up, to support the island’s sustainability.
“This is a great place to visit – jump on Explore ferry in downtown Auckland, enjoy a 75 min journey through the Hauraki Gulf to the sanctuary that was once off limits to public.
“We get about 10,000 visitors a year, which sounds like a lot. However, even at summer’s peak there might be 100 people coming daily – they arrive ready to explore and they dissipate quickly as they begin discovering the trails.
“There are so many options here: Rotoroa’s small enough to explore in a day, and to find your own spot – be it a seat where to quietly observe our resident takahē a place to grab a picnic, or choose from four easy swimming beaches depending on whether you’re looking for social or solitude. Visitors walking the southern loop track can also experience the stunning Chris Booth sculpture commissioned in honour of Jack Plowman. That’s the uniqueness of the island.”
Jo adds that the amount of wildlife everywhere on the island in the Spring makes it a really beautiful time on the island.
“There’s pohutukawa and kowhai flowering in September, tui all over the island, and saddlebacks outside our window in the morning. I had tui and saddlebacks all around me, and our kiwi team caught two birds this morning. We went down to pick them up and there was no one else there.
“Staying in our accommodation (either our holiday homes or boutique hostel) at this time of the year, you’d get a beautifully warm, well-appointed house with something for everyone - stunning safe swimming beaches, rare birds, walking trails, fascinating history, and even some art: a true place to restore in nature. It’s a rare chance to stay on a working wildlife sanctuary.”
How can you get involved with the Trust's work?
Angela says that there are a number of different ways.
“Come and visit - experience our sanctuary and you’ll see why it’s known as the island of restoration. You’ll find all the details on our website, and can follow our social platforms for the latest wildlife updates. Spread the word. And consider becoming a volunteer.”
Jo adds that she is also keen to see whether people will be prepared to adopt a garden for the accommodation houses.
“They’re pretty basic gardens, but we’d value any help to keep them mown and weed-free. We’ve also got work to do on our tracks, and we need help with our biosecurity devices. There are all sorts of projects that people could do for us if they’re interested.
“What I’m saying is that if people would like to come and volunteer on the island, either as an individual or a group, we can always find something for them to do that they’ll enjoy and will be beneficial for the island.
This is a great place to visit - jump on Explore ferry in downtown Auckland, enjoy a 75 minute journey through the Hauraki Gulf to the sanctuary that was once off limits to the public.
“We really want to grow our volunteer base, looking for more and more regular volunteers and more volunteer groups. And we’re also looking for relieving Rangers: practical, pragmatic people we would pay to come out for two to four days at a time and relieve our staff out here.
“This island is a true gem. We encourage people to come and experience this special place for themselves!”
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