Aerial view of Mana Island
The steep-sided and seemingly flat-topped Mana Island is a distinctive feature of Wellington’s west coast.
Mana Island’s name is an abbreviation of Te Mana o Kupe ki Aotearoa, which acknowledges the achievements of Kupe, the legendary 12th Century Polynesian navigator, who discovered this land - Aotearoa.
View the Mana Island Scientific Reserve brochure (PDF, 195K).
Explore the history of Mana Island Scientific Reserve and the conservation work being done there.
Explore the islands's historic sites and visit the woolshed museum. Follow walking tracks to the historic lighthouse site, the "concrete gannets" and enjoy the dramatic views.
You can not stay overnight on the island.
Find out how to get to the reserve, and review the rules and regulations that must be followed once there.
Help protect our treasured islands in Wellington and Kapiti from plant and animal pests.
In this video you'll learn about the takahē. Once thought extinct, they were rediscovered in 1948. Though still highly endangered, some takahē survive on offshore islands like Mana Island, near Wellington.
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