Source: NZ Department of Conservation
Date: 19 June 2026
People across Te Tai Tokerau and beyond are invited to a special evening of nurturing and whakanui (celebration), open from 4 pm to 8 pm.
Organised by the Department of Conservation (DOC), Kaitiaki Kauri, Puketī Forest Trust, Northland Regional Council, Heritage New Zealand and Tiakina Kauri, the celebration will feature an array of fun and educational activities for visitors of all ages.
DOC Te Pēwhairangi/Bay of Islands Operations Manager Bronwyn Bauer says the event is a wonderful way to kick off Matariki week.
“This is a truly authentic way to celebrate the heavens and earth, the stars of our ancestors, and the ngahere and species that give us life,” she says.
Activities will include a BBQ; guided nature walks with glow worms; magical fairy lights; storytelling around a campfire; a wharenui (large house) featuring korowai, patu and taiaha for photos; and rides on an old army Unimog to and from the Manginangina Kauri Walk, where a kauri tree will be illuminated.
Visitors can also enjoy microscope viewing and virtual reality (VR) sets, traditional Matariki weaving lessons, and a crank-powered fire to keep a warm gathering space.
“We are pleased to co-organise this event with DOC, one of our partners in restoring our precious rohe,” says Tania Pene, Kaitiaki Kauri lead. “The ngahere is more than something to walk through for sport or exercise. It is the essence of our breath, our lives. When the ngahere flourishes, people flourish; when forests fade, so does our way of life.
“We invite everyone to celebrate our ngahere, the arrival of the new year, and our journey together on the great waka of life.”
For local farmer and Puketī Forest Trust Chair Gary Bramley, the event holds special significance.
“As a part-time farmer, who mostly farms in the dark, Matariki always gives me hope that the days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, and kōanga (spring) is on the way,” Gary says. “This time of year can be our wettest, but Matariki reminds me it won’t last forever. It’s a date that deserves to be celebrated.”
“Our partnership with DOC has been a long ‘marriage’, and like any longstanding relationship, there are ups and downs, but we are probably in the strongest place we have ever been. It is both gratifying and humbling to be supported by the department to the extent we are currently.”
NATURE LOOKS DIFFERENT FROM HERE
Nature isn’t scenery. Nature is a society that we rely on for everything, every day. It’s behind our identity and our way of life.
Contact
For media enquiries contact:
Email: media@doc.govt.nz
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/19/celebrate-matariki-in-puketi-ngahere/