Hutt Gorge Trapping Fund
The Hutt Valley Canoe Club are trapping predators along Te Awa Kairangi (Hutt River), to bring back native birds to the upper gorge between Kaitoke and Te Marua.
We started installing twin-set DOC 200 trap boxes in 2022, funded through a grant from Greater Wellington Regional Council. These are installed above the floodline along the gorge between Kaitoke and Te Marua. This is an area that cannot be accessed on foot, it needs a whitewater paddler with a degree of skill to safely navigate through the Grade 3 waters. Since the initial installation, we’ve added more traps, including a trial of highly automated traps (AT220) that keep working away until they need a battery charge or lure topping up once every 3 to 6 months. These have been a real success and are well suited to both the steep-sided terrain of the gorge and lower frequency of maintenance visits expected in such an environment. Our members volunteer their time and use their own kayaks and packrafts or the club duckies to take new traps into the area and to maintain our existing traps.
As of July 2026, we have eliminated over 1,000 pests – mostly rats and possums, and a few stoats. Native bats have been recorded nearby, and for the first time in many decades, a whio was recently seen and filmed in the gorge. People are noticing more native birds, which is vital for the regeneration of the river ecosystem. Looking forward, our trap coverage is increasing thanks to the generous support of Torlesse, and we plan to focus on reducing the population of wirely stoats in the coming summer. We want to acknowledge the generous support from Torlesse Geotechnical Engineers for sponsoring our predator trapping programme.
“Torlesse has been looking to connect with a local initiative that reflects our values of hard work, commitment, and care for the environment. The Hutt Gorge Trapping Project fits perfectly — it takes a long-term vision and specialist skills, including whitewater kayaking, to access the gorge and thrive in what most would consider an inhospitable environment. We’re proud to support this challenging but vital work to restore birdlife — and hopefully Whio — to Te Awa Kairangi. Our backing helps volunteers focus on what matters most: effective trapping and sustaining this unique conservation effort for the future“. Nick Clendon, Director
If you’d like to support our mahi and chip in for traps, bait or safety gear, you can donate via our Givealittle account here.
If you’re a competent Grade 3 paddler and you’d like to get involved, join our club!
