Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne

About this place

Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne is a fenced urban ecosanctuary at 53 Waiapu Road, Karori, roughly ten minutes from central Wellington. Covering about 225 hectares of regenerating valley, it is the world's first fully fenced urban ecosanctuary, and alongside its conservation and visitor operation it hires out a set of indoor and outdoor spaces for meetings, conferences and functions.

### History

Experiments to develop fencing capable of excluding all pest mammals began at the site in 1994, and the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary Trust was formed in mid-1995 to implement the proposed 'mainland island' sanctuary. The predator-proof fence — 8.6 kilometres long, 2.2 metres high, and fitted with a subterranean skirt to stop burrowing — was completed in 1999, after which mammalian pests inside the perimeter were eradicated over a nine-month period. Thirteen introduced mammalian predators were removed, including rats, mice, stoats, possums, cats, rabbits, hedgehogs and hares. More than 40 species of native wildlife have since been recorded in the valley, many reintroduced after generations of absence from the Wellington region.

### Spaces and capacity

Rātā Café overlooks the sanctuary and seats up to 60, or holds up to 100 standing; the full café space including the balcony accommodates up to 130.

Pāteke Room is the main indoor function space, suited to conferences, team-building and larger meetings, with optional presentation facilities. It seats up to 80 or holds up to 120 standing.

Hihi Room suits small, intimate meetings of up to 8 people.

Heritage Lawn is an outdoor space used for functions and team-building activities.

### Catering and setting

Catering is delivered through Rātā Café, and events can be fully catered. The sanctuary setting itself is the main draw: valley and lake views, native bush, and the wildlife that comes with a predator-free environment.

### Suitability for MICE

Zealandia works well for conferences and away-days of up to around 80 delegates, board and management meetings, incentive dinners, client hospitality and Christmas functions. The combination of a conference-capable indoor room, a café for dining, a small meeting room for breakouts and an outdoor lawn gives organisers a complete day in one location, with guided sanctuary experiences available as a delegate activity. Explore more Wellington venues.