Matuku Link

Community wetland restoration in the Waitākere River Valley

Our project is named after the endangered Matuku-hūrepo (Australasian bittern) which needs wetland to survive. There are an estimated 700 matuku left, with some living in Te Henga, Auckland’s largest mainland wetland. Matuku Link aims to restore and protect wetland habitat in West Auckland, linking several other conservation projects to create a safe corridor for native flora and fauna.

In 2016,  the Matuku Reserve Trust bought 37 hectares of bush and wetland with the help of many funders. Hundreds of volunteers have now revegetated our old paddocks with eco-sourced plants grown in our on-site nursery and are controlling pests to protect our native flora and fauna. This has created a safe corridor, linking several other local conservation projects.

Our educator delivers our hands-on wetland education programme Te kaupapapa rohe kōreporepo to over 1000 primary school children each year, and many groups of all ages join our working bees, open days, or guided tours.

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.

What’s happening

Open Studios at Matuku Link

Open Studios Waitākere at Matuku Link!📅 Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th November | 10am - 4pm Join us at Auckland’s largest mainland wetland for a weekend of art and nature! We’re excited to host several local artists for Waitākere Open Studios this year, right here at...

World Wetland Day 2025

Celebrate World Wetland Day with us at Matuku Link!📅 Saturday, 1st February 2025 | 10am - 3pm Join us at Auckland’s largest mainland wetland for a day of nature, learning, and fun! We’re celebrating World Wetland Day with our annual open day, featuring a wide range of...

Donate to educate

Our Wetland Education Programme for local low decile primary schools, is a huge success with over 1500 children a year visiting Matuku Link. Our incredible educators teach them to love wetlands and appreciate the bush, nature and the natural environment while doing a...

Great Matuku Muster 2024

The actual idea for the Great Matuku Muster - bittern survey 2024 started more than a decade ago with John Sumich dreaming up a drone with a heat detection camera and another drone with a regular camera to spot bittern from the air. He worked with Peter Solaris from...

Spring and Summer Sundays

We might still pop a few plants in the ground for some infill planting in spring, however most of our work this spring and summer will be caring for the trees we've planted earlier. We'd love you to join us at 111 Bethells Road. We do still recommend gumboots - it's...
October 2024
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Support our work

Hands-on volunteering

Our regular working bees are every third Sunday of the month and every Tuesday morning. Depending on the weather, tasks will be around weeding, planting, growing plants in the nursery, doing predator control or building and maintenance. More info here. 

Please contact Annalily on hello@matukulink.org.nz with questions, or if you’d like to join us and it’s your first time out to Matuku Link. We’d love to welcome you here!

Helping out in other ways

Nothing is possible without our valued funders, donors and supporters. Matuku Reserve Trust is a charitable trust so any donation over $5 is tax deductible. Please consider becoming a supporter, more info here.

Business support

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.

Thank you to our many generous sponsors and individuals who have helped us with in-kind or financial contributions!

From the blog

Great Matuku Muster 2024

Great Matuku Muster 2024

The actual idea for the Great Matuku Muster - bittern survey 2024 started more than a decade ago with John Sumich dreaming up a drone with a heat detection camera and another drone with a regular camera to spot bittern from the air. He worked with Peter Solaris from...

read more
Spring and Summer Sundays

Spring and Summer Sundays

We might still pop a few plants in the ground for some infill planting in spring, however most of our work this spring and summer will be caring for the trees we've planted earlier. We'd love you to join us at 111 Bethells Road. We do still recommend gumboots - it's...

read more
Tracking at Matuku Link

Tracking at Matuku Link

Last week, I had the exhilarating opportunity to join Tarn from Auckland Zoo's conservation team on an adventure off the beaten track right here at Matuku Link. Auckland Zoo's Siân has been helping us collect data from our tracking tunnels since Matuku Link first...

read more

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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