Kaiāwhina Group plants over 1,000 native species on Ponui Island
Posted on July 01, 2026
More than 1,000 native plants are helping restore a wetland area on Ponui Island, thanks to the efforts of the Macleans College Kaiāwhina Group.
The group recently returned to the island as part of the Trees for Survival programme.
Forty-eight students travelled by barge across the harbour from Kawakawa Bay before beginning the walk up the main valley to this year's planting site. Along the way, they were accompanied by some of Ponui Island's wild donkeys and enjoyed seeing seedlings planted during last year's visit, now thriving as young trees and blending naturally into the landscape.
Throughout the morning, students worked together to plant more than 1,000 pukio (native grasses), harakeke (flax), tī kōuka (cabbage tree), mānuka and kānuka in a wetland restoration area. The plants had been raised from seedlings in the school's shade houses and will help stabilise the wetland while filtering farm runoff.
Once the planting was complete, the muddy but satisfied group returned to base camp for a lunch generously provided by the Chamberlin family, who farm Ponui Island.
The annual trip is an important part of Macleans College’s partnership with the Trees for Survival programme. It gives students a valuable opportunity to contribute to environmental conservation while learning about New Zealand's native plant species and the role revegetation plays in maintaining healthy ecosystems.
The project is particularly meaningful because it takes place on Ponui Island, home to the Hillary House Year 9 camp for more than 40 years. By helping restore and protect this environment, students are making a lasting contribution to a place that has long been an important part of the Macleans College experience.
