Natashja Haddow Brown from Massey University is researching a nasty disease: leptospirosis. Matuku Link helped with supplying Natashja and her team with freshly caught pests to discover if these carry the disease in Te Henga. 

Can we find Leptospira in Te Henga?

Leptospira is a type of bacterium, a tiny microorganism that is invisible to the naked eye.
Leptospira can live in the kidneys of infected animals. When these animals urinate (wee), the bacteria can travel to the environment. After heavy rain or flooding, Leptospira can spread further through wet soil and water to puddles, streams, rivers and lakes (Figure 1).

If we have a cut or scratch that comes into contact with urine, water or soil containing Leptospira, the bacteria can sometimes enter our body and cause a disease called leptospirosis. Our pets and other animals can get leptospirosis too.
People with leptospirosis may have muscle aches, fever, headaches, or feel like they have the flu. Sometimes people can become very sick and need to visit a doctor or even go to hospital.

But, what about Te Henga… Can we find Leptospira there? And where might it be hiding?

To answer these questions, a research team from Massey University is using science and detective skills to search for this tiny bacterium. We are looking for Leptospira in rats, mice, wild pigs, rabbits, dogs, horses and cattle, as well as in water and soil around Lake Wainamu, Waitī Stream and the Waitākere River (Figure 2). We are also talking with people in the community and using questionnaires to learn about how people, animals and the environment might be connected.

This is a big job, and we could not do it without the help of people from Te Henga and local groups such as Matuku Link. Together, we have collected rats and mice to investigate whether these animals are carrying Leptospira.

How was Matuku Link involved?

To know if pests carry Leptospira, we needed freshly caught rats, stoats, weasels and possums – Matuku Link’s trappers caught these for us and kept them in the freezers at Matuku Link. They installed a whole new line of rat traps in an area withhout previous trapping – a win-win when 15 rats were caught in the first two weeks!

Why is this investigation important?

If we know where Leptospira is hiding, we can learn more about how people and animals might get the disease. This can help us understand how to reduce the risk of leptospirosis and keep people and our animals safe.

Vicky joined the Matuku Link team in 2026 as an Environmental Educator. She grew up in the Waitākere Ranges and has a love for the outdoors and a commitment to environmental protection. Vicky views the wetlands as the critical, living link between the land and the sea. Vicky has had 30 years of teaching in a wide range of schools from Years 1 to 8 and being part of the Matuku Link team allows her to merge her teaching with her passion for nature.

Vicky’s path to Matuku Link came through her participation in the Science Teaching Leadership Programme (STLP). The programme provided her with the opportunity to step outside the classroom and work directly alongside scientists on conservation efforts. This experience led her to Matuku Link, where she connected with this wetland environment and the team. Vicky is focused on combining scientific inquiry with hands-on learning, helping students explore local biodiversity and understand why protecting these ecosystems matters.

Contact Vicky at schools@matukulink.org.nz for anything education related!

Josh Campbell is a master’s student in Biological Science at the University of Auckland. His research focuses on lepidoptera (the moths and butterflies) and the behaviour associated with their camouflage. 

Kia ora everyone! My name is Dan Borja, and I am a master’s student from the University of Auckland studying entomology. Over the last couple of months, I have been conducting experiments at Matuku Link with the permission of the lovely staff who have given me a very warm welcome to the reserve.

My research stems from psychological studies which demonstrate the importance of symmetry as a tool for quick visual object recognition and identification. In other words, symmetrical objects or patterns tend to be recognised faster than asymmetrical objects. My research aimed to provide evidence for this in animals by looking at how wing patterns of moths are observed by birds. I conducted two experiments at Matuku: one which looks at how wing folding behaviour in moths may disrupt the symmetrical patterns of their wings, and the second experiment which observes how the orientation of a moth at rest may influence the perception of its symmetry. I hypothesised that moths which don’t fold their wings are more predated by birds. This is because the symmetry in moth wing patterns makes them more obvious to predators, especially in the forest as their backgrounds tend to be asymmetrical (making symmetrical patterns stand out!). I also hypothesised that moths which rest vertically are more predated because their symmetry is more obvious compared to moths which rest horizontally or diagonally. To test these hypotheses, I carefully crafted fake moth models out of paper and dough which were edible and harmless to birds and placed them on different trees at Matuku. Over a couple of months, I monitored the survival of these models under bird predation, taking note of which models were eaten sooner than others. I also conducted general bird surveys through 5-minute bird counts to gauge the diversity and frequency of birds at Matuku.

From my results, It seems that one of two scenarios are likely: one is that moths which have extremely folded wings are actually more predated (not what I was predicting!). It could also be that my moths are being affected by stabilising selection pressures. This means that bird predation is higher in moths with perfectly symmetrical and (at the same time) extremely asymmetrical wing patterns. However, this is just a theory, and I will be doing more research to justify my reasoning.

Melanie (she/her) first heard about Matuku Link in 2023 when her daughter Eloise visited on a school trip and came home raving about all the cool things she had learned! It sounded like exactly the sort of stuff that Melanie wanted to learn more about too, so she looked up the website to find out how to visit. She has been a regular volunteer at the Sunday working bees ever since, along with husband Phil and daughters Eloise and Samantha.

With a background in language teaching, educational publishing and learning design, and a lifelong passion for birds and the New Zealand bush, Melanie supports the team with fundraising, working with school groups and developing educational resources.

Matthew (he/him) is joining the Matuku Link team across 2026 as part of his AUT Capstone placement, where he’ll be working on a science communication project exploring ways to share the stories and ecological work happening across the wetland.

He is currently completing a double degree in Law and Environmental Science, with a Geospatial minor, at Auckland University of Technology. He’s particularly interested in how environmental science and data can be communicated in ways that help people better understand and connect with the natural places around them.

Outside of university Matthew is the Secretary for Te Hōnonga a Iwi – Restoring Rosedale Park, a community-led urban restoration project on the Shore. In practice this seems to involve being part of a little bit of everything, governance, projects, systems, and often the jobs no one else really wants to deal with. If you ever find yourself near Rosedale, he highly recommends coming to check out the restoration work happening there.

He’s also heavily involved in all things hockey (playing, coaching, officiating, admin) and also St John Youth. Matthew is looking forward to spending time learning more about wetland ecology at Matuku Link and getting involved in the mahi happening across the site and meeting all the people behind it.

Our annual fundraiser, always a sell out success:

VIP Kayak Day on 18th April 2026

Once a year only – so as not to disturb the wildlife too much – and with access generously granted by our neighbouring properties, our VIP Kayak Day is back!

Experience Te Henga wetland from the best possible perspective and raise funds for its protection at the same time. The navigable part of Waitākere River is accessible only from private land. On this one day, access will be allowed for our biggest fundraiser of the year – a two hour paddle in small groups on kayaks. Drift along the Waitakere River, which flows through Matuku Link, through to Te Henga wetland.

Tickets are $80 each, with all equipment (kayaks, paddles, life vests, etc.) and training provided. Minimum age is 12 years. For enquiries about younger participants or other questions, please contact us.  Book now, last year this sold out within two weeks!

Book now!

All proceeds go directly to Matuku Link, a community conservation and education project in Bethells/Te Henga. Your support helps us restore the wetland with plants from our nursery, protect wildlife through pest control, and provide wetland education programs for local primary schools at our Sustainable Wetland Education Centre. The smell of a sausage sizzle (regular, vegan & GF) will await you when you arrive at our Sustainable Wetland Education Centre (aka “the barn”), with home baking, locally roasted coffee and cold drinks all for sale to provide you sustenance before or after your kayak tour.

Bookings required, no door sales! Last year this sold out within two weeks. Proudly part of EcoFest.

Hope to see you there! – Annalily, colleagues, trustees, volunteers – and all the birds you’ll be supporting!

All images by our voluntary professional photographer Stefan Marks – thank you!

It wouldn’t have been the same without our stall holders who engaged with our visitors with activities, information and conversation.

• the Bethells Fire Brigade,
• Christine Rose Ceramics,
• Muriwai Environment Trust (those penguins!),
• Pest Free Waitakere Ranges Alliance,
• Ark in the Park (that stuffed cat!),
• PredatorFreeSwanson/Waitekere,
• Friends of Whatipu (weekend outing coming up!),
• Frazer the Biodiversity Guy,
• Birds New Zealand,
• Te Henga Tuturiwhatu & Penguin Protectors,
• Department of Conservation (clean your boat!),
• Kauri Rescue (got any kauri for a health check?),
• Auckland Council Tiakina Kauri,
• Auckland Zoo
• Entomological Society (so many beautiful tiny creatures),
• Mountains to Sea (getting wet feet),
• EcoMatters (flower arranging with weeds!)
• Brandy Davis, who screen printed her beautiful design on our t-shirts all day long!

Join us to care for our plants with “Search and Rescue” – protect our native trees from getting smothered by weed or later in the season help to plant new trees. We’d love you to join us at Matuku Link at 111 Bethells Road. For H&S reasons: if you haven’t been before, register here please.

Our working bees are every Tuesday 9am till noon and every Third Sunday of the month:

• Sunday 15th February10 am – 1 pm
• Sunday 15th March10 am – 1 pm
• Sunday 19th April10 am – 1 pm
• Sunday 17th May 10 am – 1 pm – start planting season in earnest!
• Sunday 21th June 10 am – 1 pm – planting
• Sunday 19th July 10 am – 1 pm – planting
• Sunday 16th August 10 am – 1 pm – planting (maybe the last time this year)
• Sunday 20th September 10 am – 1 pm.

If you’re new, we’ll take you on a guided tour around the project and you might even spot our pāteke (brown teal) or feed the huge eels. If you’re a regular, you know how satisfying and fun this is, so bring your friends! All ages welcome, especially the tamariki.

• no need to bring your own gloves and spades, but if you do: everything needs to be squeaky clean because of kauri dieback
• for the shared lunch we’ll provide soup or salad & snacks (and homemade baking if you’re lucky!) & hot drinks to share, if you can bring something to add, that’s always appreciated.

If you’d rather come during the week, we also do Tuesday Nursery & Field Days – every Tuesday from 9am till noon, with a very nice morning tea at 10.30am.

But don’t forget if you haven’t been before to register HERE.

Hope to see you there! – Annalily & the trustees

0212207136 or hello@matukulink.org.nz

Celebrate World Wetland Day with us at Matuku Link!
📅Sunday, 1st February 2026 | 10am – 3pm

Get ready for a day of discovery, excitement, and free family fun at the Wetland Day Festival 2026 at Matuku Link!

With free family activities every hour including guided tours on bugs, birds, eels, and plants, a VR kauri dieback game, and local conservation groups to chat to, you will have plenty to do all day. While you are here, look for our local pāteke (brown teal), spot a secretive spotless crake (pūweto), and keep an eye out for our cryptic namesake, the matuku-hūrepo (Australasian bittern). See how much Matuku Link has changed since its beginnings in 2016, with over eight thousand volunteer hours spent annually improving the place, building accessible boardwalks, and a Wetland Education Centre. Enjoy homemade treats, BBQ (vegan and non-vegan), drinks including fresh coffee, all available for purchase.

Stallholders in 2026 include Auckland Zoo, Birds New Zealand, Forest & Bird Waitākere, Arataki Visitor Centre, The Entomological Society, Mountains to Sea, Kauri Rescue, Auckland Council Biodiversity, Pest Free Waitākere Ranges Alliance (PFWRA), Muriwai Environment Trust and many others.

See you there for a fun filled day for the whole whanau!

Annalily & trustees Chad Wilkie, Dale Bainbridge, John Fawcett, John Staniland and John Sumich and all our volunteers.