A new $250,000 Lottery Grants Board boost, alongside a $60,000 grant from the Eastern & Central Community Trust, will help the Whakatipu Mahia – Predator Free Mahia project complete possum eradication on the Mahia Peninsula by mid-2027, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has announced.
Launched in July 2018 by Predator Free Hawke’s Bay, the $4.86 million project aims to remove possums from 14,500 hectares of the peninsula and develop a low-cost farmland eradication model that can be applied across the region and nationally. The work also supports New Zealand’s Predator Free 2050 goal.
With possum numbers at their lowest in the area, the Council says the new funding will support the final phase of field operations, including trapping, bait station refills, and detection dog surveys, through to mid-2026, followed by a maintenance phase to keep the area possum-free.
Council Chair, Sophie Siers said the new funding was a vital step in protecting the peninsula’s environment.
“This funding is a huge boost for Mahia. It lets us complete the work we started in 2018 and secure the peninsula for the future. Removing possums strengthens our native forests, protects farms, and keeps us on track for Predator Free 2050. We’re already seeing the results – kākā returning, nikau flowering, and the forest coming back to life,” she said.
Regional Councillor, Di Roadley, acknowledged the Mahia community, who she said had been an integral part of the project.
“Our community has supported this mahi from the start by reporting possum sightings, sharing local knowledge, and helping us stay ahead of any signs of possums in the area. Local landowners have also been outstanding, giving the team the access needed to reach every part of the peninsula. As we look ahead, the community will continue to play a key role in keeping Mahia possum-free, building on the work we’ve done together,” she said.
The community is now preparing to expand predator control to mustelids and rats and to establish a kiwi sanctuary, with Kiwis for Kiwi planning to use the area as a kiwi creche.
The project is already delivering environmental and economic benefits – healthier forests, reduced pasture damage, lower disease risk for livestock, and reduced costs for landowners, Council says.
It said lessons learned in Mahia will help inform predator control across Aotearoa.
For more information on Predator Free Mahia 2050, visit – Whakatipu Māhia | Predator Free Hawke’s Bay.
