Mātai Moana Reserve

About this project

Mātai Moana is a 74-hectare area of culturally, historically and ecologically significant whenua at the northern end of Te Motu Kairangi (Miramar Peninsula). It includes pā sites, wāhi tapu (sacred places), regenerating native bush, and military landmarks such as Fort Ballance.

To Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika (mana whenua of the Wellington area) Mātai Moana is a tūpuna maunga (ancestral mountains).

The land is currently administered by the Crown through Land Information New Zealand (LINZ).

Mātai Moana is proposed to be ‘vested’ as a recreational reserve under the Reserves Act 1977. The Department of Conservation (DOC) would own the land and the reserve would be jointly managed by Taranaki Whānui and the Council.

In the context of the Reserves Act, 'vesting' refers to the legal process by which land is transferred to the management of another entity, such as a local authority or a trustee.

The proposal will ensure the land is protected as a reserve and cared for in a way that balances public use, cultural heritage, and ecological restoration. It reflects a lasting commitment to the sustainability of the proposed reserve for future generations.

This joint management proposal is subject to councillor and ministerial decisions.

The Mātai Moana site is at the northern end of Te Motu Kairangi. It does not include the Massey Memorial, Mt Crawford Prison, or the Miramar Prison Gardens.

What’s being proposed

Taranaki Whānui has worked with the Crown to develop a joint management model for Mātai Moana that reflects the aspirations of mana whenua, the Wellington community and friends of the whenua (land).

Main points of the proposal are:

• The land will be formally protected under the Reserves Act 1977.
• The land will be vested in the Department of Conservation (ownership will remain with the Crown).
• A new entity will be established to manage decisions, operations and planning.
• The community will help shape the long-term vision for the proposed reserve through public consultation.
• The initial focus will be on public access, ecological restoration, and cultural/heritage protection.

View the Taranaki Whānui proposal for Mātai Moana (2.11MB PDF)

Your feedback

2025/26 Annual Plan consultation

In March-April 2025, through the 2025/26 Annual Plan, we consulted on whether Wellington City Council should take on a joint management role for the Mātai Moana reserve.

We received 1571 responses. 60% of submission responses and 64% of survey respondents preferred the option that Council partner with Taranaki Whānui on their proposal for Matai Moana Reserve.

This includes retaining operational funding of $750,000 per year as Wellington City Council’s contribution towards managing the reserve.

This would support:

• protecting wāhi tapu (sacred places), pā sites, and heritage areas
• ecological restoration and native planting
• public access improvements (tracks, signage, amenities)
• statutory management planning under the Reserves Act.

An additional $2.5 million from the Plimmer Bequest Fund has been allocated to support future public-facing upgrades, such as walkways and educational facilities.

To view the full summary of public feedback on the joint management proposal, see pages 38-40 of the Consultation Results Report (1.25MB PDF).

Council meeting and committee decisions

Following consultation, at the 22 May 2025 Long-term Plan and Annual Plan council meeting, Council voted to proceed with moves to jointly manage with Taranaki Whānui a new public reserve on Motu Kairangi Miramar Penninsula called Mātai Moana.

At the 19 June 2025 Kōrau Mātinitini | Social, Cultural, and Economic Committee meeting, the Committee voted to endorse a proposed approach to joint management, which is to establish a Trust with representatives from Council, iwi and DoC.

At the 26 June 2025 Council meeting, the Council voted to adopt the funding commitments, joint management and the proposed Trust approach, as part of Council’s adoption of the 2025 Annual Plan.

Future opportunities to get involved

Subject to Ministerial decisions to proceed with the proposed joint management approach, there will be more opportunities for public involvement, including:

• community consultation to guide the development of the 100-year vision and shape the values, uses and long-term direction of the whenua (land)
• collaboration with community groups and local stakeholders on future master planning
• input into the Reserve Management Plan, which is statutorily required within 5 years of vesting.

If the reserve proceeds, public access will be managed carefully; areas will be opened once they are made safe and equipped for visitors, including managing ecological restoration and heritage protection.

If the Council does not proceed with joint management, the land is unlikely to be vested as a reserve. In that case, the Crown and Taranaki Whānui would determine the land’s future use and public access could be limited.

Background

In 2018, the Council agreed in principle to help manage Mātai Moana as a reserve in partnership with mana whenua. This aligns with the Tākai Here Agreement, which supports shared decision-making with iwi.

Because Mātai Moana would have recreational reserve status, the Crown agreed that the site should be managed locally rather than by the Department of Conservation (DOC).

Contact us

If you have any questions, email: mataimoana@wcc.govt.nz.