About Us

Since 2016, Matuku Link has been transformed, from bare paddocks to a wonderful wetland, with the help of everyone in our community. Matuku Link connects people with nature in the ecologically significant Te Henga wetland.
The property at 111 Bethells Road, Te Henga, Waitākere – West Auckland was bought in 2016 for many reasons, all around protection and access. This last large 37 hectare block of wetland and forest is now protected into perpetuity from subdivision. It also safeguards a public access to the Waitākere River, as all the other properties along the river are privately owned. Its five hectares of wetland are mostly flat, and includes 1km of accessible pathways, allowing for groups of all ages to come visit – a rarity in our forested ranges! Located off the tar sealed Bethells Road, it creates easier access and a hub for our trappers and baiters doing their work protecting our rare native species at Matuku Link as well as at the adjacent Forest & Bird Matuku Reserve and wetland project Habitat Te Henga. Since 2022, we also welcome school groups for our wetland education programme, and run an outdoor school holiday programme four times a year.

Visiting Matuku Link: as we are a very small team, we are not always here – which means the gate might be shut! Please contact us if you would like to visit Matuku Link. Dogs are not allowed as we have active pest control methods in place to protect our birds.

Volunteers

Matuku Link relies almost entirely on our incredible volunteers, which includes our trustees and advisors. Our volunteers do it all – you’ll find them in the nursery, weeding, seed collecting, giving guided tours, checking trap lines, building and constructing, helping out with our school education days, and so much more. Since 2016, our wonderful volunteers have donated over 20,000 hours of their time & expertise.

If you’d like to become a volunteer, get in touch! We have regular nursery days on Tuesday mornings and a working bee on the third Sunday of every month. If you’re interested in giving guided tours or helping with our education days, let us know. We welcome all, and if you’re lucky, there might just be cake!

 

Trustees

Trustees John Sumich and John Staniland had their eye on the 37-hectare block at 111 Bethells Road since 2006, ten years before it came up for sale after the passing of its longtime owner Henk van Steeden. Following Henk’s passing in 2015, his family remembered his support of the idea of selling it to a community group to look after the land and protect it from being subdivided. After plenty of fundraising, the dream became a reality. John Staniland, John Sumich, Chad Wilkie and Geoff Davidson became the inaugural trustees of Matuku Link in 2016. In 2021, Geoff Davidson stepped down as trustee, and Dale Bainbridge took his place. In 2024, not content with two Johns, we added a third when long time volunteer John Fawcett joined the team.

Find out more about how Matuku Link came to be here: https://matukulink.org.nz/the-financial-backstory/

Staff

Intern – Maarten

Intern – Maarten

Introducing Maarten, who has traveled all the way from the Netherlands to join us at Matuku Link for a five-month internship. As part of his "Landscape and Environmental Management" studies, Maarten is focusing on a key project to explore why...

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Lead educator – Leah

Lead educator – Leah

Leah joined Matuku Link in 2022, bringing her love of learning and passion for the natural world to our education programme. A former primary school teacher, Leah has worked in schools in both New Zealand and the UK. While living in Bristol, she...

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Assistant educator – Rebecca

Assistant educator – Rebecca

Rebecca joined Matuku Link in 2023, after volunteering with our education programme for a year. She grew up locally exploring the Waitākere Ranges and West Coast beaches. Now she shares her love of the natural world with her three children. Rebecca...

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Project manager – Annalily

Project manager – Annalily

From project managing a national museum in The Netherlands to wetland conservation in New Zealand - it's more similar than you'd think. Annalily joined the trust as secretary in 2016 to help raise funds for the purchase of Matuku Link. She kept...

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Partners

The success of Matuku Link would not be possible without the support of people, businesses and organisations who have given generously of time, money and materials. Most materials used in renovating the barn and building our accessible walkways are either donated or sold to the trust at cost by friendly suppliers. Thank you to all our sponsors for your generosity.

Contact us:

Secretary Annalily van den Broeke

022 692 2016 or email us at hello@matukulink.org.nz

Physical address:

111 Bethells Road, Te Henga, Auckland

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