Kapiti Coast to Receive Biodiversity Boost

The Kapiti Coast has long been a popular destination for those planning New Zealand holidays, but the region has also been the focus of a determined effort by several different groups to preserve its delicate ecosystem. Now, thanks to a Community Environment Fund grant, many of those who have fought for Kapiti Coast’s environment for so long are finally getting a hand up. 

The government is providing a $290,000 grant for a project aimed at protecting and restoring biodiversity on the Kapiti Coast. Environment Minister Nick Smith announced yesterday, “This funding for Friends of Queen Elizabeth Park (Kapiti) Trust will be used to restore local biodiversity and protect important flora and fauna. The Trust will work with the local community to build penguin nesting boxes, improve habitats for skinks, lizards and weta, propagate and plant rare dune plants, increase fish and insect populations in streams, and carry out pest control.” This initiative is the latest to receive backing by the Community Environment Fund, which supports projects by local communities that set out to protect and improve their environment. 

If you’re curious to see for yourself just what it is about the Kapiti Coast that has inspired so many to protect and preserve it, why not venture north from Wellington and discover the what the region has to offer? 

Less than an hour from central Wellington, visitors to the district might find themselves with a strange sense of déjà vu: New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson grew up on the Kapiti Coast and went on to make use of the breathtaking scenery in the area for both King Kong and the third installment of his acclaimed Lord of the Rings saga. But whether or not you’re a movie buff, the scenic beauty of the Coast is enough to inspire anyone to imagine mythic beasts and towering citadels just around the next bend.
 

Aside from basking the glories of nature, what is there to do in Kapiti? If classic cars are your sort of thing, the Southward Car Museum in Paraparaumu not only is the largest car museum in the southern hemisphere, it also features many rare and hard-to-find models, like an armour plated car with bulletproof glass used by gangsters, cars that have carried Queen Elizabeth and a vehicle thought to have been purchased by Adolf Hitler. There is no better place in the country for motoring enthusiasts both avid and casual. If you’re prepared to take the ferry voyage out to Kapiti Island, there are guided tours of the internationally renowned native plant and bird sanctuary, where you’re likely to come across kiwi, penguins and kereru among many other indigenous species. If you just want to relax on a pristine beach, try Peka Peka Beach in Waikanae - it hasn’t yet come to the attention of most outside the district, so get in there while before this paradise is discovered by the rest of the world. 
 

One of the best ways to see this little slice of heaven is renting a campervan from Wellington and getting right in the thick of it. There’s lots of little camping grounds and holiday parks dotted along the coast, so no matter which part you choose to spend time in, it won’t be difficult to find a spot to park up for the night. With a laid back atmosphere and small town vibe, the Kapiti Coast is classic New Zealand vacation territory. 

Now, with the extra cash injection from the government, it looks like Kapiti Coast is a region that will be seeing appreciative holidaymakers enjoying its native bush, beautiful beaches and bucolic setting for many years to come.


Why not trip up to the Kapiti Coast from Christchurch, Taupo or even Auckland? Our NZ campervan hire landing page allows you to choose from a number of different locations around New Zealand and the world.