Support the Hill - Te Ahu Pātiki Maunga

We are hugely grateful to the public, The Press and Stuff for their support in our ‘Buy the Hill’ campaign, ensuring the protection of the highest maunga in the Christchurch/Ōtautahi area to set up a new conservation park. Fundraising has enabled the purchase of a 500ha block of iconic land overlooking Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupō that includes the two highest peaks on Banks Peninsula, Mt Herbert/Te Ahu Pātiki and Mt Bradley.

We now look to the public to support the setting up the Park, including better fencing and more pest and weed control to protect the precious regenerating native forest, and help the Trust and its partner organisations to realise the vision for the Park. The Rod Donald Trust, Orton Bradley Park Trust and Te Hapū o Ngāti Wkeke are working in partnership to formulate a plan going forward, based around their shared values and aims for the future of the park. A covenant with the QEII National Trust will be placed on the land to ensure its protection in perpetuity.

This land creates a contiguous eco-corridor connecting over 1,700ha of land protected for nature -enabling birds like the Tūī to travel across the Peninsula and extend their range, and ki uta ki tai - summit to sea protection.

The last piece in the puzzle has come together, ensuring that the popular Te Ara Pātaka tramping network - connecting the Lyttelton and Akaroa craters along a magnificent skyline route- will always be accessible enabling people to walk across Banks Peninsula, as they have done for centuries. Your support will ensure its success as the creation of the new park comes into being.