Mauri of the Maunga

We invite you to a decadent evening of conservation and art. 

To further support the ongoing work Sanctuary Mountain® Maungatautari is doing to carry out a habitat trial for kākāpō in the protected forest on Maungatautari.

We have come a long way, but there is still work to be done!


Event Details

Where: Sir Don Rowlands Centre at Mighty River Domain 

When: Wednesday, June 5th, 2024 

Time: 6 pm - 11 pm

Set at a stunning location, by the edge of lake Karāpiro, with beautiful Maungatautari as our backdrop, we invite you to join us for an evening of exquisite cuisine, stimulating entertainment and stories told first about trailblazing kākāpō and the many other unique species that live in the protected forest and wetland habitats of Maungatautari, told firsthand by our guest speakers. Not only will your senses be awakened by our carefully crafted three-course meal, but your eyes will feast on the incredible pieces of art that will be available for purchase during our exclusive live auction.


Join us on this conservation journey to keep Maungatautari a safe, pest-free environment where endangered species, including kiwi and kākāpō can thrive on the mainland!

Your ticket purchase and the proceeds from the art auction directly contribute to the ongoing conservation efforts on the Maunga.

The story so far…

Mid 2022, Sanctuary Mountain® Maungatautari hosted an inaugural Gala Dinner to assist in funding a kākāpō barrier to be added to the existing Xcluder® pest-proof fence.
Completion of this mahi and our partnership with Ngāi Tahu and the Department of Conservation’s Kākāpō Recovery team, enabled the historic arrival of kākāpō to
Maungatautari in July and September 2023. This marked the first time kākāpō had lived on mainland New Zealand in close to 40 years; a major milestone in the journey of
kākāpō recovery.

Since then, we have learned from these manu every day! To keep these highly intelligent and curious birds safely inside the sanctuary’s pest-proof fence has taken dedication to monitoring, innovative thinking, exploration of new technologies and strong partnerships.

The next chapter…

This year’s gala is focusing on funding some of the bigger challenges we have now, such as boundary vegetation trimming, daily monitoring of birds and being forever vigilant of the integrity of the fence, to name just a few. The work has only just begun!

Ticket Prices 

Previous Attendee - Early Bird Special: $210 per person - $2000 table of 10

General Sales: $220 per person - $2100 table of 10

What's Included in Your Ticket 

✨ A mouthwatering 3-course meal by BiteLAB 

🎤 An evening hosted by the hilarious Te Radar 

🎭 A night of storytelling by those who are involved in the work taking place on the Maunga

🖼️ The opportunity to bid on stunning artworks from local and world-renowned artists 

Don't miss this chance to make a lasting impact on the largest fenced eco-sanctuary in Aotearoa! Secure your tickets now and be a part of a remarkable evening.