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

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

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.