Discover the Beauty and Serenity of Harbour Cone Sanctuary
Welcome to Harbour Cone Sanctuary, an officially protected natural haven on the Otago Peninsula. Nestled below the iconic Harbour Cone hill, the Sanctuary lodges are embraced by the largest stand of native forest on the Otago Peninsula. Here, you’ll be courted by enchanting bird songs, spectacular sunrises and sunsets, clear night skies, and sweeping vistas of the scenic Otago Harbour, the peninsula’s estuaries, and the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean beyond.
We warmly invite you to explore the Sanctuary's unique landscape, which encompasses two lush valleys in advanced stages of regenerating native bush and hosts a diverse range of endemic forest birds. As our guest, you'll have the opportunity to explore the awe-inspiring Portobello Stupa grounds and the extensive network of walking tracks. They wind through native bushland to prominent destinations such as Harbour Cone, Hoopers Inlet, and the village of Portobello.
As you stroll along our carefully tended meditation paths, there's a wealth to explore with nature constantly unfolding to your senses. You’ll be immersed in tranquil woodlands that open up to breathtaking views of the richly patterned Otago Peninsula landscape, the sparkling Otago Harbour, and the vast Pacific Ocean beyond. We invite you to read more about this outstanding natural environment, its intriguing history, biodiversity, and wildlife:
Iconic Harbour Cone
The Sanctuary's Natural Environment
Historical Features
Iconic Harbour Cone
The prominent geographical feature of the Otago Peninsula is Harbour Cone. The Sanctuary is located on the sunny northern side of this iconic mount originating from the area’s volcanic phase 10 to 13 million years ago. Its distinctive conical shape has inspired many treasured New Zealand artists, including Dame Robin White, who lived in Portobello for several years, making Harbour Cone one of her favourite subjects of artistic exploration. It is known in Māori as Pukemata (pointed hill) and holds great local historical, legendary, and cultural significance. The original name of the area surrounding Harbour Cone is Hereweka (snatch the Weka), after a once abundant endemic flightless woodhen. The Otago Peninsula without Harbour Cone is unthinkable. Yet, just a few decades ago, this iconic landmark was targeted for gold extraction, a process that would have flattened the mount and filled up Hoopers Inlet with its tailings! Fortunately, this area of outstanding significance is now in public ownership and managed by the Hereweka Harbour Cone Trust.
Harbour Cone Summit
Harbour Cone Summit at 315 metres above sea level, is accessible by foot directly from the Sanctuary, offering panoramic views of the Otago Peninsula, its surrounding waters, and the city of Dunedin. Other excursions to the top of Harbour Cone are via the Hereweka-Harbour Cone track, which starts from Broad Bay village or via the newly launched self-guided Hereweka Hike, a marked loop trail from the village of Portobello.
Natural Environment
Habitat Restoration
At the Harbour Cone Sanctuary, visitors are active participants in the success story of ecosystem restoration. As you step out of your Eco Lodge and explore the mindfully constructed and attentively maintained gardens and meditation paths, you become part of a world where native bush is unfolding and expanding, a living testament to the value of well-considered ecological regeneration and restoration projects. Your visit is a contribution to this ongoing restoration journey. Proceeds from our Eco Lodge accommodations directly support the preservation and care of the Sanctuary's unique ecologically significant and outstanding environment.
Rewilding of Farmland
The landscape of the Harbour Cone Sanctuary is a living testament to the remarkable journey of native bush reclaiming its foothold. Since 1994, we have been intentionally rewilding the former farmlands, transforming them into a vibrant tapestry of greenery. This evolving landscape provides a haven for native birds whose calls echo through the revitalising woodland. The purposefully designed gardens and paths invite you to contemplate the meaningful interrelationship between humans and their natural environment. Harbour Cone Sanctuary is not just a place to visit, it's a place to re-connect and re-unite with nature, and to appreciate the transformative power of conservation and restoration efforts.
Historical Land-use
Take a step back in time to the 1950s and 1960s, when the Harbour Cone area was largely open grassland used for cattle and sheep farming. The determined efforts of the early British settlers from the mid-1800s onwards had converted the Otago Peninsula landscape from forest to farmland, leaving only scattered patches of native forest with solitary mature trees. These small forest remnants escaped the ecological destruction that dramatically changed the landscape and became islands of refuge for the once-thriving native bush that covered the Otago Peninsula.
Towards Nurturing Nature
In the 1970s, a shift towards “passive rewilding” began as it became uneconomical for local farmers to continually clear regrowing shrubs through burning or slashing on the rugged, steep terrain. This shift marked a pivotal moment as the mindset of “battling against nature” on marginal farmland evolved over time into one of “nurturing nature”. Flora and fauna gradually expanded from the remaining pockets of mature native bush, transforming “ecological wasteland” into a regenerating landscape of rich biodiversity.
Protected Reserve
The Harbour Cone Sanctuary and neighbouring private properties comprise a network of nature reserves, with most of the area officially registered for strict environmental protection. The initial phase of “passive rewilding” has transitioned into a joint endeavour of “managed rewilding,” where efforts are made to control species of non-native invasive plants and animal predators which pose a threat to a healthy and balanced ecological recovery.
Native Forest
This network of protected reserves retains remnants of the original native forest cover characterised by tall canopy trees like Pokaka and the magnificent podocarps Rimu and Hall’s Totara. The large variety of under-storey softwood trees includes Mahoe, the pittosporums Kohuhu and Tarata, Red Matipo, Broadleaf, Lancewood, and Tree Fuchsia. A key pioneering tree in the early stages of native forest regeneration has been Kanuka, a species able to establish a foothold on marginal grassland and serve as a sheltering cover for softwood trees following in the ecological succession of natural rewilding.
Ancient Life Forms
A remarkable feature of the Harbour Cone Sanctuary are areas showcasing the amazing world of ancient life forms. Fungi, lichens, mosses, and ferns are evolutionary elders compared to herbs, shrubs, trees, worms, insects, and birds. Their presence adds a fascinating layer to the Sanctuary’s rich tapestry of life. It highlights the remarkable diversity of life forms on our planet and illustrates the various physiological and ecological strategies organisms develop to use the natural resources in their environment sustainably.
Native Birds
The success of a restorative program for a balanced and healthy forest ecosystem can be assessed by observing its birdlife. The bushlands of the Harbour Cone Sanctuary and neighbouring reserves serve as protected habitats for treasured native birds.
Tītipounamu
Tītipounamu (Rifleman) is the smallest and one of the most cherished endemic bird species in New Zealand. It measures only about 8 to 9 centimetres in length and weighs around 6 to 7 grams. Like all endemic New Zealand birds, they are vulnerable to habitat loss and predation by introduced species such as rats and stoats. Over the past years, special predator-proof nesting boxes have contributed to their successful rebound at the Sanctuary, which is one of their few safe havens on the Otago Peninsula.
Korimako and Tui
Korimako (New Zealand Bellbird) is another iconic bird species that graces the Sanctuary. Known for its enchanting song repertoire, it plays a crucial ecological role as a pollinator and seed disperser. The native Tūī was previously a rare visitor but has shown a positive response to the habitat restoration efforts, with their numbers steadily increasing at Harbour Cone Sanctuary. It is instantly recognisable by its iridescent plumage, distinctive white throat tuft, and intricate and varied song.
Piwakawaka, Kereru, Tauhou
Other native birds common at the Sanctuary are the curious Pīwakawaka (Fantail), a small insectivorous bird with a distinctive fan-shaped tail, the delightful Tauhou (Silver-eye), a small passerine bird with a conspicuous white eye-ring, and the striking Kererū (New Zealand Wood Pigeon) that holds significance in Māori culture as a symbol of peace, fertility, and guardianship of the forest.
Interdependence of Flora and Fauna
As the understory evolved with the growth of softwoods, which provide palatable buds, flowers, and seeds, species like Bellbird, Tūī, and Kererū began to flourish. These birds were crucial in dispersing native tree seeds through their droppings. This progression highlights the interconnectedness of plant and bird species in the restoration of native ecosystems.
See it All First-hand
With the native vegetation reestablishing, providing food and shelter, we have seen a resurgence in the populations of many native bird species. As a visitor to our Sanctuary, you can witness first-hand the remarkable results of our commitment to environmental stewardship and habitat restoration, which included the planting of thousands of native trees raised from local seed stock. We invite you to stay in our relaxing Eco Lodge Accommodations or visit the Portobello Stupa to experience the beauty and restorative nature of Harbour Cone Sanctuary.
Historical Features
Land of Birds
Before human arrival in Aotearoa, the original New Zealand fauna was characterised by an abundance of birds, representing the pinnacle of vertebrate evolution. Amongst other avian species, this was exemplified by the presence of the now extinct gigantic Moa. Except for two species of bats initially blown over from Australia, no mammals had naturally colonised these far-flung islands.
Human Impact
The age-old ecological balance began to shift in the 13th century when Polynesian settlers from the Pacific Islands arrived and gradually hunted the flightless Moas to extinction for sustenance. We can’t bring back these giant herbivorous birds, which reached impressive heights of up to 3.7 meters and weighed as much as 230 kilograms. However, we can address the subsequent unprecedented ecological shifts associated with the arrival of Europeans in New Zealand.
Colonisation and Deforestation
From the mid-1800s onwards, the landscape changed dramatically as new settlements and European-style agriculture spread across the country. These developments resulted in an increasingly severe loss of forest habitat, which, in turn, heavily impacted the native bird wildlife.
Introduced Predators
The concurrent arrival of certain predatory species with the settlers had devastating effects on the endemic bird populations. From the moment humans first set foot on these shores, rats and mice disembarked as well, quickly multiplying and feasting on bird eggs and nestlings. The intentional release of predators in the 19th century to control the growing rabbit population had an even more significant impact. Mustelids such as stoats, ferrets, and weasels wreaked havoc on the native bird population, which lacked natural defence mechanisms to counteract these foreign predators. Additionally, abandoned domestic cats that turned feral exacerbated the problem. As if this were not enough, fur trappers introduced possums from Australia for their valuable fur. Unfortunately, bird eggs and nestlings became a sought-after addition to the possums’ predominantly herbivorous diet.
Predator Control
Due to their impact on native bird life, effective population control of introduced predatory mammalian species is crucial for the success of any restoration project aimed at enabling thriving native bird populations. The Otago Peninsula Biodiversity Group initiated a local predator control programme as early as 2008. Today, 22 community groups deliver predator control in the wider Dunedin area in collaboration with Predator Free Dunedin. In recognition of their successful work, these groups are now financially co-funded by the New Zealand government, the Dunedin City Council, and various corporate sponsors. The results of the work of these biodiversity groups have been impressive, as evidenced by the bird choir at the Harbour Cone Sanctuary, which has grown tremendously in volume over the years.
Pioneering Conservation
Conservation grassroots movements have a long history on the Otago Peninsula. They started when local residents became aware of the area’s unique conservational value and joined forces to protect it. Significantly, the Otago Peninsula Trust was New Zealand’s first private charitable conservation trust, registered in 1967. The Save The Otago Peninsula (STOP) trust was formed in 1998 to safeguard peninsula wildlife habitats from large-scale industrial development. The sizable coastal wetland under threat at that time is now a conservation reserve. Without the efforts of these pioneering grassroots movements, the Otago Peninsula would surely not be as spectacular in its natural environment as it is today!
Volcanic Past
Another unique feature of the Harbour Cone Sanctuary is its window into New Zealand’s distant geological history, when the Dunedin Volcano was active approximately 10 to 13 million years ago. Rocky boulders scattered through the surrounding forest and in various places alongside the Sanctuary’s carefully created driveway and meditation paths remind us of that time. The rocky boulders or ‘volcanic bombs’ vary in size from a basketball to a large van. They originated from the eruption’s initial phase when the volcano was centred in what is now Portobello. During that time, the Sanctuary was the site of a temporary lateral vent. The boulders comprise the original geological rock composition covering the land. They formed when hot magma beneath the terrain expanded in the lead-up to the eventual eruption of the side vent, causing the top layer of the ground to crack and propel parts of it high into the air.
Shared Geological History
At the Harbour Cone Sanctuary, the conglomerate boulders scattered across the landscape tell a captivating story of New Zealand's ancient geological past. Fascinatingly, the composition of cobbles and pebbles in these striking boulders matches that in Antarctic rock formations, highlighting New Zealand and Antarctica's shared geological history. These two landmasses separated from each other in the final breakup of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana over 80 million years ago. Originally, they had been part of this colossal landmass together with modern-day Australia, Africa, South America, Arabia, and the Indian subcontinent before each of them drifted away over many millions of years. Exploring the Harbour Cone Sanctuary offers a glimpse into this profound geological history, providing a tangible connection to the distant past when these vast continents were united.
A Refuge for Healing
Hereweka, the area surrounding Harbour Cone, also holds profound historical significance dating back to pre-European times.
The Legend of Chief Tarewai
According to local lore, the legendary Māori chief Tarewai of the early 19th century was taken captive in one of the many skirmishes between two opposing tribes, the Kati Mamoe and Tarewai’s tribe Kai Tahu, which had settled later on the Otago Peninsula. Despite his severe injuries, the formidable warrior escaped and sought refuge at Hereweka to recuperate and heal. He found a suitable hiding place on the forest-covered slopes of Harbour Cone where, for several weeks, he doctored his wounds with rongoā (native herbal medicines) and the spring waters of Hereweka.
Despite his survival and remarkable recovery, he was distressed by the loss of his invaluable carved whalebone patu (a form of short club) and determined to recover the weapon. When he regained his mighty strength, he returned to the camp of Kati Mamoe at Papanui under cover of darkness, where he found men sitting around the fire talking about their victory and passing around Tarewai’s highly prized patu.
Tarewai quietly joined the group in disguise and asked to have a look at it, too. After it was handed over to him, he struck down those nearest to him and fled into the darkness, yelling, “Tarewai has recovered his patu”! By daringly retrieving his patu, his mana (prestige, status, and power) was restored and he lived on as a legendary leader of his people.
