Know Before You Go

What to bring

Lunch and drinking water for the day.
Snacks are available to purchase from Reid Homestead when it is open.
In winter: warm clothes, wet weather gear, sturdy footwear.
In summer: sunhat, sunscreen, sturdy footwear.
Any medication you may need. Plants/grasses can cause hay fever. Be prepared.

Advice for walkers

Walkers on the island need to be aware that there is a farm operating on Motutapu. Much of the poled walking track is over working farm paddocks. Please take note of the following:

You must leave farm gates as you find them. If a gate is closed and you open it for access, then you must close it behind you.
Often there are young cattle grazing within the poled track paddocks. Like young children they can be inquisitive and playful. They may at times approach you. Stand your ground, clap your hands, shout and/or wave your arms. Any combination of these responses will see them quickly back away.
Please note – at times there are bulls on the island. Whichever paddock they are confined to has warning signs, so keep clear.

Enjoy walking the beautiful island of Motutapu, one of New Zealand’s pest free island sanctuaries.

Important Biosecurity Information

The islands of Motutapu and Rangitoto are pest free and home to translocated endangered species such as takahē and kiwi. So it is extremely important that we keep Motutapu free from pest incursions. Please note the following rules are now in place in relation to travel to both Rangitoto and Motutapu:

Packs, bags, containers – All bags and containers should be able to be closed and sealed.
Check for mice, insects, seeds and soil. Remove these if found. Once packed, keep bags closed zipped up tight. Remember to recheck your bag on the morning of departure.
Footwear – Check laces and seams for seeds. Check boot treads for soil and seeds. Clean if required.
Clothing – Check pockets for seeds and clean if required.
Food – Pack all food in sealed containers free from insects. Please – no open bags.
Dogs are absolutely prohibited, even on our beaches (see comments below)
Spray your shoes when you enter the forest or nursery – this ensures Kauri Dieback does not arrive on this island. Spray bottles at entrances to track.

We have created an accessible, iconic nature sanctuary 30 minutes from Downtown Auckland, but we need everyone’s support to keep it that way. This means being super-vigilant about rodent stowaways and reporting any sightings of possible pest incursions on the islands. The support of visitors for these biosecurity measures is critical to protect the largest (with Rangitoto) and closest pest free island to our New Zealand mainland.