A tiny paradise covering only 250 hectares, Ulva Island/Te Wharawhara is a great place to see lots of native New Zealand birds. Established as a bird sanctuary in 1922, it remains one of Stewart Island/Rakiura’s wildest corners – ‘a rare taste of how NZ once was and perhaps could be again’, according to DOC. The island was declared rat-free in 1997 and three years later was chosen as the site to release endangered South Island saddlebacks.
Today the air is bristling with birdsong, which can be appreciated on walking tracks in the island’s northwest as detailed in Ulva: Self-Guided Tour ($2), available from the Rakiura National Park Visitor Centre. Many paths intersect amid beautiful stands of rimu, miro, totara and rata. Any water-taxi company will run you to the island from Golden Bay wharf, with scheduled services offered by Ulva Island Ferry . To get the most out of Ulva Island, go on a tour with Ulva’s Guided Walks .
