Restoring the Land

The Piwakawaka Conservation Project

Surrounding Piwakawaka Point Villa is a landscape which has been defined by the owners’ dedication to conservation. After decades of pastoral farming, the land had been stripped of natural vegetation and birdlife, and the owners have invested heavily in private conservation in a bid to restore the land to its native state.

Since 2007, The Piwakawaka Conservation Project has planted more than one million trees and recreated three natural wetland habitats. The vast majority of the trees planted are eco-sourced seeds from within five miles of the property - Mountain Beech is the most populous of these as it was the species most prominent historically on the property, with another thirty native tree species making up most of the plants reintroduced across the 330-acre property.

More than 100 ‘special and rare’ native tree species from Mount Aspiring National Park have also been eco-sourced and reintroduced - these species are either under threat or require special care and attention to ensure that they thrive. The only substantial deviation from planting New Zealand native trees has been a few food source species (which were introduced to ensure the native birdlife thrives before maturity in the forest is restored) and some Sequoias. These were chosen because of their historical attachment to Wānaka and their scale and grandeur, which compliments the vistas and scale of the property.

The Piwakawaka Point Conservation Project has also been working to encourage the reintroduction of native birdlife; The Fantail (aka Piwakawaka), Bellbird (Korimako) and Tui population have already rebounded with increasing numbers, and there is currently a pair of Karearea breeding on the property. It is hoped that in the future, the population of Karearea will grown and that Branded Rail and Brown Teal can be introduced to the wetlands. Extensive pest control is also in place with the hope that kiwi can, one day in the near future, be introduced onto the property.

Guests staying at Piwakawaka Point Estate can enjoy extensive private walking and biking trails on the property, which interweave the native planting to give you a great insight into the conservation project. The property is designed to encourage outdoor living, with paddleboards, an oversized hot pool, and gorgeous outdoor entertaining areas, which mean guests can really indulge in the beautiful birdsong as their soundtrack, and pristine scenery.