A lone rat has been found dead in a trap on Ulva Island, Rakiura triggering an incursion response. Ulva Island is a predator free island 780m off Rakiura Stewart Island, and is a popular location to experience one of the few pest-free open sanctuaries in New Zealand. Jennifer Ross, DOC Operations Ma

The Observation Rock viewpoint, renowned for its exceptional night skies on Stewart Island, has been reopened to the public after the completion of a new viewing platform and safety barrier. The construction project, which started in July, was aimed at enhancing the visitor experience and ensuring s

Southland District Council will move forward with plans to build a new wharf at Bathing Bay on Ulva Island, and dispose of the existing wharf at Post Office Cove. The existing wharf provides commercial operators and recreational users with the ability to disembark and embark on Ulva Island, a predat

Environment Southland has discovered Didemnum vexillum, commonly known as carpet sea squirt, at two locations in the waters around Rakiura/Stewart Island, as well as a further discovery of the invasive seaweed Undaria pinnatifida (Undaria) at a new site. Carpet sea squirt is an exclusion pest under

The first set of high-resolution 3D mapping data for the Oban area of Rakiura Stewart Island has been released publicly as part of the Provincial Growth Fund-LiDAR elevation data capture project. LiDAR, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging, is a remote sensing method that uses light in the f

Community views are being sought on Southland District Council’s proposal to increase the Stewart Island/Rakiura visitor levy from the current $5 per visitor to $15. The Empowering Act adopted by Parliament in 2012 enables Council to set and collect levies from passengers travelling to Stewart Islan

The first kākāpō chick of the season has hatched on Whenua Hou, west of Rakiura/ Stewart Island, says the Department of Conservation. Nineteen-year-old kākāpō Pearl has produced the first chick of the year – Pearl-A-1-2022. The chick was observed in the nest at 2am yesterday morning (1 February) loo

Southland District Council’s Community and Strategy Committee is being asked to consider draft changes to the Stewart Island/Rakiura Visitor Levy Policy and Bylaw, which would be put out for public consultation. The draft changes include an increase in the levy from the current $5 per visitor to $15