Skip to main content

Mātai Moana Reserve

A shared future for a sacred landscape.

Drone view of Mātai Moana Reserve.
Aerial view of Mātai Moana site. The area behind and beyond the Massey Memorial (which is on the tip), will become a recreational reserve.

About this project

Mātai Moana is the 72-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).

Mātai Moana land is owned by the Crown and has been managed by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ). Mātai Moana will soon be transferred to the Department of Conservation (DOC) and will be established as a recreational reserve under the Reserves Act 1977.

Mātai Moana reserve will be jointly managed by a Trust, which will be set up with representatives from Taranaki Whānui, Council and DOC.

This will enable the land to be 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 reserve for future generations.

Map of the Mātai Moana Reserve.
Mātai Moana reserve area. Source: LINZ

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.

Management of the reserve

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

Mātai Moana Charitable Trust

The Mātai Moana Charitable Trust will be established to manage decisions, operations and planning for the reserve.

The Trust will have seven trustees. Three will be selected by the Wellington City Council through a public expression of interest process, three by Taranaki Whānui, and one by the Director-General of Conservation. Each organisation will make its trustee selections through its own process.

The Council’s appointees will be sought via a public Expression of Interest process. They will serve in a personal capacity, to ensure that the Trust operates as an independent entity.

Taranaki Whānui share their vision for Mātai Moana

Hear Taranaki Whānui share their aspirations for establishing Mātai Moana as a reserve, the significance of the whenua, and their 100-year vision, aimed at preserving this legacy for future generations.

This video shares the kaupapa from iwi’s perspective and encourages everyone in Te Whanganui-a-Tara to be part of this journey.

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 will 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 other open space improvements.

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

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.

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.

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.

Related links