New on the site

Hunters remove 30,000+ wild goats

13 December

Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager is celebrating results from this year's National Wild Goat Hunting Competition, which saw the removal of 10,349 wild goats from New Zealand's landscapes, for a total of 33,418 since the event’s inception.

Murray Hira Holdings Limited application to continue operating Rotorua Blue Lake TOP 10 Holiday Park in Tikitapu Reserve

12 December

Have your say on an application by Murray Hira Holdings Limited to continue leasing at Tikitapu Recreation Reserve for a period of 30 years. Submissions close 1 February 2026 at 11:59 pm.

Quick-thinking community save stranded dolphin

11 December

A dolphin stranded at Blueskin Bay, near Dunedin, has been successfully refloated thanks to the quick-thinking community and is now swimming back at sea.

A treasure trove of storytelling – new Tohu Whenua site opens in Canterbury

11 December

Nestled in the Canterbury foothills is a very special site with a rich history – Ōtūwharekai Hakatere Heritage – now recognised as a new Tohu Whenua site.

Decisions on stewardship land delivered

11 December

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka has announced decisions that will provide clarity for approximately 80 per cent of stewardship land assessed on the West Coast of the South Island.

Community helps restore land after Craigieburn fire

10 December

A year on from the devastating fire that swept through the Craigieburn area, a new community group is helping nature restore the land.

Soft baits can attract a fine not just trout

10 December

Soft bait lures are regulated in the Taupō fishing district, so anglers need to know what to look out for.

Tongariro fire: tracks reopen

09 December

Visitors can safely return to tracks and huts in Tongariro National Park on Wednesday 10 December, but caution is advised around traffic-controlled areas of State Highway 47.

Fewer gulls, fewer squawks: Tūrangi spared rooftop mayhem

09 December

Threatened black-billed gulls are again nesting on the rooftops in Tūrangi town centre, but the town shouldn't see a return of previous disruptions.

Various concession applications in the Sounds Foreshore Reserve

09 December

Have your say on a batch of concession applications (leases, licenses, and easements) in the Sounds Foreshore Reserve. Submissions close on 27 January 2026.

Hapū and DOC on Tongariro fire

08 December

Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro and the Department of Conservation share a deep sense of concern and sadness at seeing another fire flare up within Tongariro National Park today.

Team effort to refresh Great Barrier’s huts before summer

08 December

Two DOC huts on Aotea/Great Barrier Island have been spruced up ahead of a busy summer.

Surprise kiwi pukupuku population grows

08 December

Two surprise kiwi pukupuku (little spotted kiwi) chicks have been lifted from the recently rediscovered population in Westland in the South Island.

Waimata Gemstone Bay track reinstatement commencing

05 December

Visitors will soon be able to enjoy a walk to one of Coromandel’s most picturesque beaches, with construction of the track to Waimata Gemstone Bay starting Monday 8 December.

Smuggler caught green-handed with rare native gecko

05 December

A South Korean citizen was sentenced today in the Manukau District Court for purchasing and intending to export jewelled geckos/moko kākāriki, a protected native species.

“Incredibly selfish”: brand new picnic table destroyed, stolen from DOC campground

05 December

The destruction and theft of a newly-installed picnic table at Bucks Road Campsite has shocked and disappointed the Wairarapa community.

Lone feral cat that destroyed tern colony caught

05 December

A year after a single feral cat destroyed a large black-fronted tern/tarapirohe colony on Canterbury’s Waiau Toa/Clarence River, it has finally been caught.

Trial will help hunters protect Pureora Forest

04 December

Hunters can help to protect Pureora Forest by participating in a new trial that improves access to remote areas and gathers data to guide deer management.

Identification of seabirds captured in New Zealand fisheries 1 July 2023 - 30 June 2024

04 December

This is the final annual report for INT2022-02: Identification of seabirds captured in New Zealand fisheries, 1 July 2023 - 30 June 2024. Published December 2025.

New campaign for pūteketeke/crested grebe

04 December

Campers and boaties around the popular Lake Benmore shoreline in Canterbury are being asked to look out for the ‘world famous’ pūteketeke/crested grebe this summer.