Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is New Zealand’s largest pest-proof fenced eco-sanctuary. The Waikato forest is home to much of New Zealand’s unique and endangered wildlife. After hearing that the Sanctuary was in a financial crisis Orienteering Waikato decided to organise a fundraising Rogaine on the Maunga.

Aidan Boswell, Andrew de Groot and Mark Gray designed 3 courses (2,4 & 8 hour) for the 218 competitors. Making the map was a real club effort with over 15 club members spending many days in the bush over the summer clearing and remarking the predator monitoring lines as well as recording the tracks via GPS. Mapping gurus Scott Smith (PAPO) & Michael Croxford (NOC) also gave their time to help out with some of the technical mapping tasks.Other club members helped with event promotion and ‘on-the-day’  organising.

This event was a novel experience for the competitors. The Sanctuary has been free of deer and goats for 20 years and the bush is slowly returning to its natural state (ie dense!) 

Orienteering Waikato donated all the entry fees to the Sanctuary Mountain Ecological Island Trust (except ONZ levy). There was also an extra button on Enter O where people could donate directly to the Trust.  The Trust were pleased to report an extra boost in these donations also.

Understandably, the Trust are very protective of the Sanctuary and were initially guarded about allowing hundreds of people to clamber around the Maunga. However they underestimated the dedication and attention to detail of orienteers. They were impressed not only by the instant results on the screens but also by the marketing efforts and the event’s wide reach. They were equally pleased with the track work done on the predator monitoring lines, with feedback describing the event as running like a “well-oiled machine”. The club was pleased to hear that we are welcome to do it again in future years.

Competitors were equally complimentary with many positive comments about the enjoyment they got from this special event in such a unique environment.

Orienteering Waikato’s Save the Sanctuary Rogaine raised nearly $9,000 for the Sanctuary Mountain Ecological Island Trust. The Sanctuary is home to over 730 native species, including endangered wildlife such as the North Island brown kiwi, kākāpō, and Hochstetter’s frog.

Read about the event in the Te Awamatu news https://www.teawamutunews.nz/2025/03/boost-for-sanctuary/