September 2025 Newsletter

Upcoming Volunteer Trips

We have these midweek volunteer trips coming up, travelling by Dreamweaver from Pier Z:
Thursday 16 October
Tuesday 18 November
Thursday 20 November
Friday 5 December
Friday 12 December
If you are a group interested in joining one of these trips (or another date), please email Simon at volunteermotuihe@gmail.com

We have these volunteer trips coming up, all travelling by water taxi from Okahu Bay:
Sunday 12 October (general volunteer day)
Wednesday 15 October (invasive weeds)
Sunday 19 October (endangered plants - full)
Thursday 23 October (invasive weeds including training)
Sunday 2 November (general volunteer day)
Sunday 23 November (endangered plants)
Saturday 13 December (endangered plants)
Sunday 14 December (general volunteer day)

Individuals can book on any of these trips by registering here or email operations@motuihe.org.nz.
As we have limited space on each trip, please only register for a trip once you are sure you are able to make it

Volunteering Opportunities

We are beginning to plan our kiosk roster over the summer. If you are keen to help sell ice creams and provide info to the public, please get in touch (info@motuihe.org.nz). Single-day as well as multi-day options are available with accommodation at our very comfortable woolshed. Full training will be provided.

Operating the kiosk is an important source of income for our project. Last year, we turned over almost $20,000 - the profits helped to fund some of our equipment and operating expenses.

Paint needs
We are in need of tin primer for the outside cladding of our new toilets.
If you have a leftover part bucket sitting in your garage without a home, we can put it to good use!

2026 Motuihe Calendar - We're taking pre-orders now!

Thank you to all the keen photographers who entered wonderful images into the Motuihe Photo Competition. The independent judges have deliberated and made their top 3 selections in each of the 4 categories. The winning images will be announced at the 25-year celebrations. A calendar with these great images has been produced and is available for pre-order now, with a limited supply available for purchase at the 25-year celebrations.

Cost is $25.00 per calendar (postage is additional if needed). Pre-order by emailing info@motuihe.org.nz.

What's new!
A huge thanks to Chesters Plumbing for donating all of the fittings for our new toilets. We are very grateful for this contribution to our project. Regular Chris Cotter has been working hard over the last month on this much-needed addition to our facilities.

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David Mooney from Mahurangi Plumbing has joined Chris many times and is providing the plumbing expertise! He has also installed our new stove, so that we are back to having 4 elements and an oven. We are lucky to have so many skilled and dedicated volunteers helping with our project.

If you (or anyone you know) needs plumbing and gas fitting work done in the Orewa, Warkworth or Omaha areas, please support Chesters and David Mahurangi Plumbing.

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Kiwi Call Survey Results

Over the winter months every year, a dedicated team of volunteers head to Motuihe and sits in the chill air of dusk for 2 hours recording kiwi calls. This allows us to compare figures year on year to indicate our kiwi population.

Over 3 nights this year, our volunteers recorded 69 calls, which is in line with our records from previous years. Kiwi have a large territory, so a small island like Motuihe will only support a certain number of birds. It is possible that we are close to capacity, which is reflected in reasonably stable numbers from year to year.

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Photo: Recorded on one of our trail cameras

New Cross at the Graveyard

A small team from DOC and the Motuihe Trust have installed a cross on what was previously an unmarked grave. Patrick Finnicane died on the island in 1882 of smallpox when the island was a quarantine station. Unfortunately, his grave had deteriorated to such an extent that his name had been lost. With some research the grave was identified and is now marked with a white cross thanks to Brian Alexander. We know very little about Patrick except that he was 28 years old when he died.

cross

Shearwater Boxes

A big thanks to Graeme and Alloise, who have made some additional nesting boxes for our fluttering shearwaters.
These will be installed at the new site over the coming months.

Invasive Weeds Survey

The Environmental Weed Coalition is a hardworking group who are uniting to tackle the invasive weed problem around Auckland. They are currently lobbying politicians at all levels to do more to control this massive problem.

You can help by completing their online survey. Have your say here:
Invasive weeds survey

Drone Survey From Drone Deploy

We were so lucky to have the crew from Drone Deploy join our Dreamweaver trip this month. Luckily it was a clear day, and the team were able to put 2 drones into the air to take photos of the south end of the island from above. The software prompts the drones to fly in a grid pattern, taking photos at strategic points, and the same software then pastes these photos to give an entire view of the island. It was fascinating to watch the skilled drone operators and to be a part of the ground search for a drone that inadvertently went missing in action! Luckily found safe and sound.

The overview of the island will be used to identify weed areas - kikuyu, large woolie infestations, and mothplant vines in the canopy, which can't be seen from the ground. We'll be able to make use of this new technology as part of our weed control plan.

A big thanks to Drone Deploy, such a valuable tool in our ongoing fight against invasive weeds.

Thursday 4th September - Midweek Weeding

A lot of progress is being made on the control of invasive weeds on all levels. This task is ongoing and relentless, but we can see good progress each year.

A dedicated team headed out towards Bald Knob to collect moth plant pods before they burst. While a pile of bags was the result, it's also good to know that we can now walk through large areas on the island which are free from pods this year. Looking at how many pods are slowly rotting in our tank is also rewarding!

Barbara and Denise tackled the 3rd honeysuckle site, so we're well on the road to controlling this new weed, which could become our next "mothplant emergency" if not for some regular intervention from our specialist weeders.

Not to mention the potting out in the nursery and the construction of our posh new toilets. And Lois's hard work in the track maintenance, TV repair and kowhai seed collection department!

Every week, we take a huge step forward, thanks to our team of amazing volunteers.

Moth plant pods in bags and pit (Ants Cotton)

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Wētāpunga disturbed while weeding (Stuart McIntosh)

Sunday 7th September - General Volunteer Day

Because of the strong winds there have been some difficult moments getting on and off the island this month, and this day was no exception. It adds a new level of adventure to our trips when we need to be so resourceful with getting on and off the water taxi!

Kaiyu works quietly in the background every month putting our newsletter together, so it was lovely that she was able to visit the island with her parents Huiping and Zhao. Together with Doris and Claire 145 kanuka were put into small bags, and 55 puriri and 40 kahikatea were moved from small bags to larger bags. Hong and Hazel walked the beaches to check on our dotterels - no nests yet but lots of pairs. And the penguin team visited 4 active burrows on Ocean Beach and Snapper Bay, all with eggs. And our weeders collected a large bag of moth plant pods at Ohinerau, which means fewer seeds to germinate next year. Fiona painted the new stairs in the woolshed. And before the day was finished Alex, Anna and Marlies planted spinifex and pingao at Wharf Bay and Ocean Beach.

A large amount achieved by a small team of hard working volunteers, whose support is very much appreciated.

Photo: Planting spinifex and pingao to stabilise the sand dunes (John Laurence)

Thursday 18th September - Midweek Weeding

An island to ourselves (written by Kylee from OBC, who volunteered with us for the first time)

My volunteer day at Motuihe Island is a bit wet and wild at times. No boats are anchored in any of the bays - it feels as though we’re the only people here! As a big fan of deserted islands and castaway tales, I’m in my element.

It’s a leisurely walk from the wharf to base camp. A barn-like building is equipped with kitchen basics and accommodation for overnighters. Alongside this, there’s a garden nursery in full bloom with native white clematis and the critically endangered kakabeak shrub with its exquisite red flowers.

Like rust, weeds never sleep, and although the native plants on Motuihe are growing brilliantly, so are many invasive ones. There are two main culprits: moth and tobacco plants. There are teams dedicated to deal with these tyrants, but our group today is part a specialised weed killing initiative. The Motuihe Trust have a methodical approach to island restoration and maintenance. Apps are used to document the weeds’ locations. Plans are made and resources allocated. Some weeds are left alone while others are targeted. Our first project is to find and remove two clumps of Trailing African Daisies identified at Ohinerau Bay, near Calypso Bay. We get dropped off part-way - my first tractor ride in about thirty years, yippee! We find the daisies living on the edge of the beach. It’s a common garden plant, several houses on my street have it. We pull them out, being careful to get all the roots. There’s more than expected and too much for us to carry back. Fortunately, the tractor will be coming all the way down here tomorrow and can collect the bagged daisies.

During our break the weather deteriorates, but everyone is keen to continue. This time we’re tackling honeysuckle. Despite having the GPS coordinates it’s quite illusive, but eventually we find it and prepare it for spraying. Then we spend some time finding our way out. You can’t really get lost, and it’s fun weaving through the sheltered bush, not following any tracks.

Then, so soon, it’s time to leave. We haven’t been cast away; our sea shuttle awaits. Our skipper Pieter whisks us smoothly back to Okahu Bay in under 30 minutes where I farewell my new friends. It was fabulous spending the day in such a magnificent place, making a small contribution to the countless hours of volunteering that have transformed the island in just 25 years.

I highly recommend others give volunteering here a go. Motuihe Island could use your help, and it has a lot to give back in return. Visit their website and sign-up today.

Friday 19th September - Corporate Volunteer Day

Firstly a massive thank you to Kirsty and the Dreamweaver crew. We didn’t have a full boat but Kirsty was good enough to take us irrespective. What a great supporter of the Trust and the whole Project.

So, 38 of us from FCM, Drone Deploy, Devonport restoration Trust and White Cloud (foreign students) headed out in a slight SW blow. Jill B, Dina and Simon took everyone to the nursery where, while under cover, it poured down for 5 minutes. Once set for action the sun came out and stayed out for the rest of the day. Dina led five doing nursery work – Anne, Charles, Alex and Richard from the Devonport group. They pricked out 234 Scandia rosifolia (koheriki) seedlings into 3/4-size bags.

The rest of us headed to the paddock above ‘one tree paddock’ and started on the woollies. As the troops spread out the area from Von Luckners Bush to Taraire Bush was attacked. The volunteers really took to their task having a great time ‘big game hunting’. Once the BBQs had had a work out there was time for a productive beach clean, various walks and, for a few brave souls: a swim at Snapper Bay. It must be spring as two nests with eggs were spotted on Wharf Beach.

We all got away (except Anne’s jacket), enjoying a rapid return to pier Z all safe and sound.

Sunday 21st September - Kakabeak Volunteer Day

A full water taxi of volunteers braved a stormy morning for the monthly Threatened Plants trip. It was great to see returning faces and new volunteers joining the project. The day started well with an inspection of our planting site along Wharf Road. Not only are last year’s Scandia and Wahlenbergia looking great, but we found our first seedlings of each of these species. Knowing that they have successfully begun to reproduce is a huge milestone in our journey to establish these plants on Motuihe.

Up at the woolshed the kākābeak in the nursery were ablaze with flowers, with a curtain of showy clematis / puawhānanga (Clematis paniculata) blooming away too. Our group split into teams to break up the huge tasks of monitoring and weeding all our planting sites – which are spread right across the island. Despite a small tractor break-down, the teams managed to get through all the sites. It was interesting to see how our plantings are doing a few months on from going into the ground and having the data written up from each site will give us a clearer idea about survival patterns in different sites.

As usual our nursery team did a stellar job caring for our seedlings and ensuring that all next season’s plants are in good condition. The epic mission to prick out all the Scandia seedlings continued with over 200 potted on. A big thank you to everyone for joining us and helping with this project!

Mary and Joe from the dotterel team joined us on the water taxi, and were so proud to report our first dotterel nest with 3 eggs on Wharf Bay. The nest has had a mesh cover installed to give the eggs and chicks some protection from gull predators.