Since November 2025 Matuku Link is supported by Project Rise, the philanthropic project of the Dawoodi Bohras Auckland. The Dawoodi Bohras are a global, peaceful Muslim community, numbering around one million, with origins in Western India and a strong presence in over 40 countries. Led by His Holiness Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin (the 53rd al-Dai al-Mutlaq (unrestricted missionary), Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, based in Mumbai, they follow the Fatimi Ismaili school of thought, focusing on education, trade, environmental responsibility, and maintaining a unique, close-knit cultural identity.

The community is actively involved in business, education, and social development, maintaining a strong, globally interconnected network. They are one of the largest food bank and hunger relief providers in the world, with the aim “nobody will go to sleep hungry”. 

Matuku Link is proud to share these community values, especially on education and environmental responsibility. John Sumich, Annalily van den Broeke and Grac Coyle recently joined their Iftar – the breaking of the 15 hour fast as part of Ramadan. It was a joyful occasion with beautiful food shared and a great opportunity to strengthen the bonds between our organisations and learn more.

Did you know: 

• They are Shia Muslims who adhere to the Quran and Sharia, performing 5 daily prayers, fasting, and valuing community, education, and women’s empowerment. Originating from Gujarat, India, they are historically a community of traders.
• They have a unique language called Lisan ud-Dawat (derived from Arabic, Persian, and Gujarati) with a distinct, modest dress code: men wear white outfits (dopi), and women wear a two-piece colorful dress called Rida.
• They emphasize being law-abiding, loyal citizens in their host countries, with a strong focus on philanthropy (Project Rise) and environmental sustainability.
  Community Life: They are known for their community-sharing, often dining together from a large plate called a thal.

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
• Sunday 19th July 10 am – 1 pm
• Sunday 16th August 10 am – 1 pm
• 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.

Celebrate Our Gold Star Award with an Open Week at Matuku Link 

Matuku Link has been recognised on the world stage, winning a Gold Star Award at the Wetland Link International Awards – one of only three wetland centres in the world to be given this award! We’re celebrating with a week of open days from the 22nd to the 30th November with fun activities, daily tours, and informative displays. 

Discover our expo showcase, sharing the story of how a small community of volunteers transformed an old barn and wetland into an award-winning education centre. Learn about our ongoing conservation work – restoring habitats, propagating native plants, and protecting threatened species like the matuku-hūrepo (Australasian bittern), banded kokopū, and pāteke (brown teal).  

Enjoy a cuppa and home baking at our pop-up café, browse our gift shop, and connect with the dedicated volunteers and supporters who make this all possible. 

Daily tours – Guided Wetland Tours at 11am & 1pm ($5 per person)
Weekend extras – Free eel talk at 10:30am on Saturdays and Sundays. Local artist Derek March will be talking about his impressive 35 meter long mural Tuna Heke on 22nd and 23rd November at 12.30pm as part of the Waitākere Open Studios.

Whether you’re a nature lover, photographer, or simply curious, this is your chance to experience our hidden wetland sanctuary up close, celebrate community-led conservation in action, and be part of protecting Aotearoa’s last remaining wetlands. 

Get tickets for the guided walks here: https://matukulink.org.nz/product/wetland-tour/

Matuku Link, a community-led wetland restoration project in Te Henga, West Auckland, has been recognised on the global stage, winning one of only three Gold Star Awards in the world at the Wetland Link International (WLI) Star Wetland Centre Awards, announced during the UN Wetlands COP in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The Star Awards are the world’s only accreditation recognising excellence in wetland education and visitor engagement. Matuku Link joins centres in Australia and Hong Kong as the only Gold Star winners, selected from 39 recognised centres worldwide.

Judges praised Matuku Link’s volunteer-led model, strong educational focus, and deep community roots. “Matuku Link has achieved something extraordinary,” says Connor Walsh, Chair of the Awards Judging Panel. “They’ve shown that a small local centre, powered by passion and purpose, can stand shoulder to shoulder with the world’s best.”

With only 9% of New Zealand’s wetlands remaining, Matuku Link is working to shift perceptions from “smelly swamps” to “biodiversity beauties.” Wetlands are vital ecosystems, filtering water, storing carbon, and providing habitat for rare species like the matuku-hūrepo (Australasian bittern), tuna kuwharuwharu (longfin eel), and pāteke (brown teal).

Founded in 2016 after a $2.04 million fundraising campaign, Matuku Link is a charitable trust run by five trustees and powered by a dedicated team of volunteers. Since purchasing its wetland and bush property in Te Henga, the group has transformed an old barn into a purpose-built Wetland Education Centre, constructed two native plant nurseries, and with support from Jobs for Nature, created accessible boardwalks and trails through Auckland’s largest mainland wetland.

Every year, Matuku Link also sees over 1,000 school aged children visit through their education programme, school holiday programme, and family-oriented events. Matuku Link’s hands-on education programme focuses on real hands-on science within the wetland. By fostering curiosity and connection, Matuku Link is helping inspire the next generation of kaitiaki to protect New Zealand’s last remaining wetlands.

Matuku Link will be celebrating this achievement with guided tours and an exhibition on wetlands during open days on the 22nd –30th November. 

Our Winter Fungal Foray
June 2025

Our recent Fungal Foray at Matuku Link was a sell-out success, despite the cold and wet weather. Nature lovers and curious minds bundled up and joined us for a fascinating walk led by expert mycologist Dr Peter Buchanan.

Peter’s passion for fungi is infectious, and over the course of the morning he introduced us to the hidden and often overlooked fungal life thriving in our wetland reserve. From colourful mushrooms to barely visible fruiting bodies, each find came with its own story.

Among the discoveries were:

• A paper wasp infected with a cordyceps fungus, an eerie and impressive example of parasitism in nature

• Tiny bird’s nest fungi, with their miniature “eggs” known as peridioles

• A large bolete with a spongy underside and rich earthy colouring

After our foray through the bush and wetland edges, we gathered in the barn to warm up and learn more. Peter shared some of his favourite field guides and gave us a close-up look at a few remarkable specimens, including the legendary āwheto or vegetable caterpillar – a native caterpillar mummified by a native cordyceps fungus.

It was a fantastic morning of learning and discovery, reminding us how important fungi are to our ecosystems – and how much we still have to learn about them.

A huge thank you to Dr Peter Buchanan for his generosity and enthusiasm, and to everyone who braved the elements to join us. We’re already looking forward to the next foray into the fungal world!