Sinclair Wetlands - Te Nohoaka o Tukiauau

Take a self conducted walk around ponds within the wetlands, feed birds and see rare fernbirds. The 315-hectare Sinclair wetland remnant is owned by Te Rünanga o Ngai Tahu and protected in perpetuity by a Queen Elizabeth II National Trust open space covenant. It is regarded as the largest and most important privately owned wetland in New Zealand. It was returned to Kai Tahu by the Crown as part of the Ngai Tahu Claim Settlement Act in 1998. There is a visitor centre overlooking the wetland. The wetlands are normally open seven days a week during daylight hours. Horace "Horrie" Sinclair, was a local farmer who donated land to the wetlands scheme in 1984.