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Jas28Scotland
From Auckland New Zealand I had a wonderful day trip to Tiri Tiri Matangi Island - a bird sanctuary for rare and endangered NZ birds - saddleback, takahe, stitchbird, little blue penguin, etc, not forgetting the ancient species, tuatara. The ferry from Auckland takes just over an hour and I would recommend the guided walk where the leader gives so much information about the bird and plantlife. I loved the natural, wild island environment with native birdsong, the special nestboxes for little blue penguins, the wonderful shoreline, and beaches from where it is possible to swim. Bring your own packed lunch for a glorious day out.
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nigelc873
A great day out for anyone with even the slightest interest in nature. The island is full of wildlife.The extra $5 for the guided tour is the biggest bargain you'll get all week. The volunteer guides are all passionate about the island and their enthusiasm is infectious. You'll be split into groups of no more than 5-6 people per guide so no danger of being stuck at the back struggling to hear what is being said.A few things to note- Free free tea and coffee is available at the visitor centre, but no food for sale so you'll need to bring lunch.- Many of the paths are boardwalks so it's not rough going but there are plenty of steps and uphill slopes. Comfortable footwear is a must, as is a bottle of water.
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553janec
What a fantastic day this was--definitely my favorite part of Auckland trip. I love birds, always listening and wanting to know "who's that?!" Tiritiri is *full* of rare birds, easily seen, and oh so lovely to hear. We saw close to 15 different species, including nesting blue penguins. Many rare species being brought back from near extinction through careful habitat restoration efforts. The island is quite a tribute to ecological restoration. Interesting to hear what has worked and where mistakes were made, even with best of intentions. The $5 tour is well worth it! Learned so much from our lovely guide Rose. I opted for the "shorter" lower trail (there's a longer trail that goes up through older, taller growth) and was so glad I chose that route. Departure time on ferry is 9am sharp; time on the island is 10:30 - 3:30, which sounds long but actually is not! Our tour arrived at the Lighthouse picnic area about 1pm, which left just enough time for picnic lunch (finally, a toilet break!), then leisurely hike back to ferry. The groups on the longer tour didn't get to the Lighthouse until nearly 2pm. I would have been hangry and desperate for loo by then. It's easy to take the longer trail on the way back and it's all downhill then!
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YvonneK474
Tiri tiri Matangi is a bird sanctuary. You can reach it via ferry from Gulf Harbour or Auckland harbour. The price from Gulf Harbour is 55 NZ$ per adult, children 32,50 NZ$.I would recommend to book a guided tour on the island, everything is explained just wonderfully.You can see many plants and birs, native to NewZealand.From 1983 - 1993 trees and bushes were p,anted on the island. Now you have different endangered birs here, especially the Takahe, there are only 23 of them left, 10 on this island.You have to bring your lunch and have to take your rubbish with you, which seems quite fair. We had a wonderful day here, including a short swim on the pebbly beach.The ferry left at 3.30 p.m., you had to be at the jetty at 3.15 a.m.This island is quite amazing because all pests were eliminated and you can see birds in their natural habitat. It' s just amazing and wonderful.
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tenak0e
Having lived in Auckland this is one trip that I should never have left so long! We travelled by ferry the 15 or so minutes from North Harbour. On arrival we had a bit of a talk about some rules for the island. We paid the $5 for a guide which I reckon is excellent - the guide could tell us all the names of birds we could hear and see. (The guides are all trained volunteers) This island is chock full of native flaura and fauna. It is easy to walk around the island but even if you are wheelchair bound there is a vehicle to pick you up. Free drinks are supplied but you need to take food as its a day trip. We were so excited to see birds that were almost extinct and they are very easy to spot too. Highly recommended and only $55 so good value and you can feel like you are contributing to NZ environment.
