Photo credit: Jude Hynes
Photo credit: Jude Hynes

Ngā pūrongo o Kawau

Kawau news

Keep up with all the important news on the Kawau Island pest eradication project.

Photo credit: Jude Hynes

Introduction

The success of this programme, initially and long term, depends on the support and involvement of Kawau Island’s community. Auckland Council is committed to working with you, keeping you up to date and listening to your feedback.

This is your page to keep up with all the important news on the Kawau Island pest eradication programme and some of the environmental outcomes we hope to celebrate in the future.

Sign up for the project newsletter here. Check here for operational updates.

Project factsheet

Information for landowners and occupiers

The project team have prepared a factsheet outlining important information for landowners, occupiers and visitors to the island. It contains key information that is important to read.
Kawau Island landowner factsheet (PDF - 1.2MB)

Keeping dogs safe

Dogs are the most at-risk pets during a 1080-based pest control operation. Always supervise your dog and keep them on leash in affected areas. Do not let them roam or eat animal remains. Consider using a muzzle. If you suspect your dog has eaten 1080 poison, make the dog vomit immediately if possible and call your vet straight away. 

For those on the island, this is likely the Warkworth Vets – 09 425 8244 
Alternatively, contact the Auckland Council call centre (24 hours) – 301 0101 for locations of emergency emetic medication.

For more information, check our dog protection fact sheet.  
Protecting your dog – factsheet (PDF - 740KB)

Safety tips

During the operation and six months afterward:
•    do not touch bait that is dyed green
•    watch children at all times
•    keep dogs away from poison baits and animal remains, as 1080 they are toxic to animals
•    read and follow all safety signs.

National Poisons Centre
If you think someone has been poisoned, call the New Zealand National Poisons Centre immediately - 0800 764 766

Contact

If you have any questions, you can reach us at kawauislandproject@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

View from Kawau Island on a sunny day with a blue sky and a few clouds, with Hauturu / Little Barrier Island in the distance.
Looking out to Hauturu / Little Barrier Island from Kawau Island
Photo credit: Jude Hynes

Latest update: 13 June 2025

Working towards a pest free Kawau Island

Pest-Free Kawau update: Block 1 progress and upcoming operations

Our mission to restore Kawau’s native forests continues with operations to remove wallabies and possums, as we move into the next critical phase.

 

Following significant progress made in Block 1 (covering Kawau Island Historic Reserve, Stony Hill Recreation Reserve and the residential areas of Schoolhouse, Sunny and Harris Bays), operations have expanded into Blocks 2 and 3, including South Cove residential area. Targeted work will continue in Block 1.

 

We are now preparing for the next stage and where our monitoring data shows high numbers of wallabies and possums – a targeted toxin operation will begin in the southern blocks (excluding block 1 and residential areas) after School Holidays, from Monday 14 July, pending a suitable weather window.

 

Operational Update

From May 2025, the team has laid the groundwork for this project:

 

Block 1 Progress:

  • Night-time ground control operations have significantly reduced pest numbers in the southern conservation area. Possum specialists Cameron Grey and Kiri Stack with detection dogs Cossy, Pip and Beck will be joining the team to survey the remaining possums in block 1.

Next Steps:

  • Where wallaby and possum numbers are high, a targeted ground-based toxin deployment (1080/Feratox) is anticipated to begin from Monday 14 July, post-school holidays.
  • Pre-feeding with non-toxic bait will start prior to any toxins deployed
  • To reduce interference from rats, rodenticides will be used in bait stations

 

Strict protocols are in place to protect residents, visitors to the island, pets, waterways and water sources. 

Key reminders:

  • Direct alerts will be sent to landowners (in relevant blocks) ahead of non-toxic pre-feed and toxin use, with updates provided after clearance.
  • Signage and notifications will define exclusion zones, buffers around residential and public areas and operational zones. Avoid the operational areas during toxin deployment and supervise your dogs throughout the caution period.
  • Visitors to the island are asked to not take their dogs ashore during the operational and caution periods.
  • Free muzzles and emetic medication for dogs remain available at Warkworth Vets 09 425 8244

Permits and safeguarding public health

All operations are carried out in strict compliance with permits issued by the National Public Health Service-Northern Region-Auckland and the Department of Conservation, which include rigorous conditions to safeguard our community and the environment. 

These require a 200-meter buffer zone around residences (reducible to 150 meters with landowner agreement), proactive monitoring of water intakes near operational areas, and removal of carcasses where feasible. Additionally, a six-month caution period will be observed after toxin deployment and carcass breakdown time is monitored. These measures reflect our commitment to ecological restoration while prioritising safety and community well-being.

It is understandable that some people may have concerns around the targeted use of the toxins 1080 and Feratox. Health and safety is a priority for the project team and we’d like to reassure the community of the measures we’re taking, particularly related to the targeted use of 1080 (sodium fluroacetate) and Feratox (encapsulated cyanide). You can read more here: Factsheet for landowners and occupiers.

Looking ahead: A shared effort

The combined efforts of the Kawau Island community and the organisations working to help native species on the island thrive resonate in this video captured by Lennard Sparks of Cornerstone Conservation recently on the island. He captured this footage of a kiwi and pāteke interacting through his thermal scope. 

The hard work of our field teams is still ongoing – tracking pests across rugged terrain, monitoring cameras in all weather conditions, and meticulously deploying control methods. These efforts are laying the foundation for the biodiversity resurgence we know Kawau Island can achieve. With sustained commitment, the return of thriving native birdlife and other species to Kawau Island’s forests is more than just a hope it is an inevitable outcome.

June Community Forum Meeting

Register for the next meeting

The next community forum meeting will be held online on Monday 16 June at 7:30pm. If you would like to attend, please register in advance.

The community forum is an essential part of the project structure that ensures the community has a voice in the project and is involved in the project design. Ideally, it will ensure diverse community voices and perspectives, including businesses, charitable trusts, conservation groups, and residents/ratepayers.

The community forum meetings are held monthly online, and any member of the Kawau Island community is welcome to be a part of the community forum.

 

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