Stewart Island: New Zealand’s Isle of Glowing Skies
In Maori, Rakiura means “Land of Glowing Skies.” Brilliant sunrises and sunsets mark the tranquil days on Rakiura, also known as Stewart Island, while its location at 47° south latitude makes it a potential viewing spot for the aurora australis, or Southern Lights.
New Zealand’s third-largest island, Stewart Island lies 19 miles off the southern tip of the South Island. While not nearly as well known as the country’s fjords and mountain ranges, this remote island is a haven for native wildlife, with dense rainforests, secluded beaches and some of New Zealand’s best opportunities to see wild kiwi. Natural Habitat Adventures includes two nights on Stewart Island during our New Zealand Nature Explorer trip.
Stewart Island’s History and Rakiura National Park
Maori arrived on the island as early as the 13th century, with Captain Cook’s arrival in 1770 marking the first known European visit. William Stewart, for whom the island is named, was first officer on a sealing vessel from Australia and helped chart the island’s coastline in 1809. The arrival of Europeans brought miners, missionaries, adventurers, whalers and sealers, along with introduced animal species that would threaten native wildlife.
Today, fishing and tourism support the island’s small community, centered in the village of Oban. More than 85% of Stewart Island was designated Rakiura National Park in 2002, becoming New Zealand’s 14th national park.
On an island approximately 47 miles long and 28 miles wide, there is a wealth of ecosystems: rainforest, dunes, wetlands, grasslands, sandy beaches and granite mountains rising more than 3,200 feet above sea level.
Where Can You See Wild Kiwi on Stewart Island?
Stewart Island is a birdwatcher’s paradise, with notable species including the ruru (native owl), weka, tui, bellbird, red-crowned parakeet, kaka and several penguin species. And of course, there is the kiwi.
Stewart Island is home to a substantial population of southern brown kiwi, known locally as tokoeka. Unlike many kiwi populations elsewhere in New Zealand, Stewart Island kiwi are sometimes active during daylight hours, though nighttime searches remain one of the best ways to look for them.
The smallest living members of the ratite bird group, which also includes emus, rheas and ostriches, kiwi have whisker-like facial feathers, shaggy plumage and powerful legs for digging burrows. Because they are flightless, they are particularly vulnerable to introduced predators such as dogs, cats and rats. Stewart Island’s relative abundance of kiwi reflects, in part, the absence of stoats, which have devastated kiwi populations elsewhere in New Zealand.
On Nat Hab’s New Zealand Nature Explorer, travelers join a guided night walk through the rainforest in search of these unusual birds.
Ulva Island: A Sanctuary for New Zealand’s Native Birds
An important bird sanctuary lies on Ulva Island, located within Stewart Island’s Paterson Inlet. Accessible by a short boat ride, Ulva Island is one of New Zealand’s few open island sanctuaries managed to protect native wildlife from introduced predators.
Its rainforest has never been logged, and conservation efforts have allowed rare native birds to flourish. Visitors may encounter South Island saddlebacks, yellowheads, kaka, parakeets and other species that have declined or disappeared from much of mainland New Zealand.
The New Zealand Department of Conservation and the Ulva Island Charitable Trust help protect this refuge through ongoing pest monitoring and biosecurity measures. Rats can occasionally reach the island from Stewart Island, making continued surveillance essential to its conservation.
Our New Zealand Nature Explorer itinerary includes a guided walk on Ulva Island, offering a glimpse of New Zealand’s native rainforest and the birds that depend on it. A private boat excursion through the surrounding waters also provides opportunities to watch albatrosses, shearwaters, penguins and other seabirds.
Together, Stewart Island and Ulva Island offer an opportunity to discover New Zealand’s native wildlife while seeing firsthand how habitat protection and predator management help preserve its natural heritage.
