Sweet As Tees › Blog › Ulva Island and Paterson Inlet β New Zealand's Greatest Wildlife Secret
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Ulva Island is one of New Zealand's only predator-free open sanctuaries β a pristine rainforest alive with rare native birds. Here's everything you need to know
Ulva Island and Paterson Inlet β New Zealand's Greatest Wildlife Secret | Sweet As TeesSweet As Tees π₯Ulva Island and Paterson InletUlva Island is one of New Zealand's only predator-free open sanctuaries β a pristine rainforest alive with rare native birds. Here's everything you need to know
π₯Ulva Island / Te Wharawhara is a 269-hectare island sitting inside Paterson Inlet on the eastern coast of Stewart Island, at the very bottom of New Zealand. It is accessible by a 10-minute water taxi from Golden Bay on Stewart Island. It receives a fraction of the visitors that the country's famous tourist destinations attract.
And it is, genuinely, one of the most extraordinary places in New Zealand.
What makes Ulva Island so remarkable is what isn't there. No rats. No stoats. No possums. No introduced predators of any kind. Since the eradication of rats in 1997, Ulva Island has become a true open sanctuary β one of only a handful in New Zealand, and one of the very few open to the general public without a permit.
The result is a forest alive in a way that most New Zealanders have never experienced. Native birds that hide and stay silent on the predator-burdened mainland walk up to you on the beach. Ancient trees that have never felt an axe tower overhead. The birdsong β layered, complex, constant β fills the air from the moment you step off the water taxi.
This is what New Zealand sounded like before humans arrived. This is what it could sound like again.
π₯To reach Ulva Island you first need to get to Stewart Island. From there, water taxis depart from Golden Bay Wharf in Oban. The crossing takes approximately 10 minutes and costs around $20-30 NZD return, depending on the operator.
Water taxi services including Ulva Island Water Ferry and Rakiura Charters operate several services daily. Book in advance, particularly in summer.
Alternatively, guided tours β which include catamaran transport, expert commentary and a guided walk on the island β are operated by RealNZ and Ruggedy Range. These are highly recommended if you want to get the most from your visit. A knowledgeable guide will point out birds and plants you would almost certainly miss on your own.
Important biosecurity note: Before boarding any vessel to Ulva Island, you must thoroughly check all your gear β footwear, bags, clothing β for seeds, insects or any other potential stowaways. A brief rat incursion in 2010 illustrated how easily the island's predator-free status can be compromised. Take the biosecurity requirements seriously.
π₯The birds of Ulva Island are the reason most people make the journey, and they do not disappoint. The combination of pristine ancient forest, predator-free environment and active conservation management has created conditions where New Zealand's rarest species thrive in numbers and at a proximity that is simply not possible anywhere else.
The South Island saddleback is one of New Zealand's most endangered birds β its population dropped to just 1,265 individuals in 2003. Ulva Island is one of its critical strongholds, and the population has since grown to around 2,000 birds. Striking in appearance β black body with a rich chestnut saddle across its back β the saddleback is an active and vocal bird that is regularly seen in the undergrowth along the walking tracks.
The yellowhead is a small, brilliant yellow bird that was once common throughout South Island forests but has been devastated by introduced predators on the mainland. Ulva Island supports a healthy population. Their contact calls β a clear, sweet whistle β are one of the characteristic sounds of the island's forest.
Large, loud and boisterous, the kΔkΔ is a native bush parrot that is unmistakable once you've heard its raucous call. On Ulva Island they are common and remarkably unafraid of humans. Watching a kΔkΔ work at a piece of bark for insects, or hearing several calling to each other across the forest canopy, is a joy.
The Stewart Island robin is a subspecies found only on Stewart Island and its offshore islands. Curious and bold β robins throughout New Zealand have a tendency to investigate any disturbance in the hope of exposed invertebrates β the Stewart Island robin will often approach walkers closely, looking for worms turned up by footsteps on the track.
Both red-crowned and yellow-crowned parakeets β kΔkΔriki β are present on Ulva Island, darting through the canopy in flashes of vivid green. Their high-pitched chatter is a constant soundtrack in the forest.
The weka is a flightless native bird with a personality considerably larger than its body. Inquisitive, bold and entirely unafraid of humans, weka on Ulva Island have been known to investigate bags, steal items left unattended on the beach, and generally make their presence felt. Do not feed them. Do not let them steal your lunch.
The Stewart Island brown kiwi is present on Ulva Island, and β uniquely among kiwi β is occasionally seen in daylight on the island. On the mainland, kiwi are strictly nocturnal because daylight means predators. On predator-free Ulva Island, the birds are more relaxed about their schedule. Sightings are not guaranteed but are reported regularly by visitors.
With fewer than 3,600 yellow-eyed penguins remaining, this is one of the world's rarest penguin species. They are present in the waters around Ulva Island and are occasionally seen on the beaches. Guided tours specifically targeting penguin sightings are available from Stewart Island.
π₯Ulva Island's forest has never been commercially logged. This is significant β the South Island's native forests were extensively milled throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, with enormous old-growth rimu, totara and miro felled for timber. Ulva Island escaped this fate entirely.
The result is a forest of ancient rimu and southern rΔtΔ emerging high above a canopy of kΔmahi and Hall's tΕtara, with a rich understorey of ferns, mosses and native orchids. Southern rΔtΔ β the South Island equivalent of the pohutukawa β produces spectacular crimson flowers in summer flowering years.
Walking through this forest gives you a genuine sense of what much of New Zealand once looked like. The trees are enormous. The canopy is dense. The air smells of earth and water and growth.
π₯Ulva Island sits within Paterson Inlet β a large, sheltered body of water covering approximately 100 square kilometres on the eastern coast of Stewart Island. The inlet's MΔori name, Whaka a Te Wera, refers to a significant historical event in the area.
Paterson Inlet has deep cultural significance for NgΔi Tahu MΔori, who used the area extensively for food gathering. Archaeological sites, named features and urupΔ (burial grounds) are found throughout the inlet. The Neck β Te Wehe a Te Wera β at the inlet's southern entrance is believed to be one of Stewart Island's earliest MΔori settlements.
The inlet's marine environment is equally remarkable. The Ulva Island / Te Wharawhara Marine Reserve protects the waters immediately surrounding the island, and the broader inlet is home to little blue penguins, yellow-eyed penguins, New Zealand sea lions, fur seals, bottlenose dolphins, and an extraordinary variety of seabirds including mollymawks, shags, terns and petrels.
Wildlife cruises on Paterson Inlet β offered by Rakiura Charters and other operators β combine the scenic beauty of the inlet with wildlife spotting and a stop at Ulva Island. The Norwegian Whaler's Base, visible from the water in Prices Inlet, is a reminder of the inlet's industrial history β whalers operated in these waters from the mid-19th century.
π₯Ulva Island has a network of well-maintained walking tracks manageable by most fitness levels. The tracks are generally easy β flat to gently undulating β though they can be muddy after rain. Allow two to three hours for a self-guided circuit of the main tracks, more if you're birdwatching seriously.
Main tracks include:
Wear non-slip boots or shoes β the tracks can be wet and the roots exposed. Bring a waterproof jacket even on a fine day. Pack out everything you bring in. Leave nothing behind.
π₯Dogs are not permitted on Ulva Island β they can kill ground-nesting birds. Night visits are not allowed. Camping is not permitted on the island and there is no public accommodation. Drones require a DoC permit.
The island has no shops or facilities beyond a composting toilet near Post Office Bay. Bring everything you need β water, food, sunscreen, insect repellent. Pack out all your rubbish.
DoC self-guiding booklets about Ulva Island are available for purchase from the DoC visitor centre in Oban, from some boat operators, and from The Fernery gallery and gift shop. At $3, it's excellent value and the proceeds support track maintenance on the island.
π₯Ulva Island is not just a beautiful place to visit. It's a proof of concept β evidence that New Zealand's biodiversity crisis is not inevitable, that with sufficient effort and commitment, the birds and forests that defined this country for millions of years can be brought back.
The birds of Ulva Island give you a glimpse of the New Zealand that existed before humans arrived. The richness of the birdsong. The confidence of animals that have never learned to fear predators. The ancient trees standing exactly as they stood when the first waka arrived on these shores.
Visiting Ulva Island isn't just a holiday activity. It's a reminder of what's at stake in New Zealand's conservation story β and a reminder of what's possible when we get it right.
Go quietly. Move slowly. Listen. You won't forget it.
At Sweet As Tees, we're proud to celebrate the wildlife and wild places that make Aotearoa extraordinary. Wear your Kiwi pride β
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