Image: Andris Apse | ©
Hautai Marine Reserve coastline.
Hautai Marine Reserve

Located in the West Coast region

Hautai is New Zealand’s most remote mainland marine reserve - two days’ walk from the nearest road end, in an area with no formed walking tracks.

The marine reserve was established in 2014 and is 853 hectares. Its purpose is to protect representative marine habitats and animals of the southern West Coast.

Hautai Marine Reserve begins just south of Longridge Point on the West Coast of the South Island and extends about 6 km south to the Hacket River Mouth, and more than 1 km out to sea (8.5 square km in total). It is halfway between Jackson Bay and Milford Sound, 60 km from any road.

Independent walkers should be well prepared for the exposed nature of this marine reserve.  Ensure you take:

  • plenty of warm, weather-proof clothing
  • a good tent,
  • adequate food and water.

Several creeks flow into the reserve.

Stones (no more than 256 mm in intermediate diameter), shells, driftwood, sand and gravel can be collected by hand recreationally, but only as much as you can carry in one trip and with minimal disturbance to the site

Pounamu can also be collected but only by members of Ngāi Tahu Whanui, or with the permission of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.

Hautai Marine Reserve lies alongside Te Wāhipounamu South West New Zealand World Heritage Area.

Underwater canyons a few kilometres offshore provide food for marine mammals and birds, particularly kekeno/NZ fur seals, tawaki/Fiordland crested penguins, and blue penguins, which are abundant here.

The shore is dominated by a mixture of boulder and bedrock reefs, and beaches of coarse sand and gravel.

The beaches rise in a sweeping gesture to steep and forested coastline, blown to a uniform curl by the prevailing wind.

Reporting pests

Find-A-Pest lets you report potential pest species, including marine, plant, animal and fungal species.

If you come across something out of the ordinary, upload a picture to the app and a specialist will help identify it. If it's a biosecurity threat, this will be forwarded to Biosecurity New Zealand. If possible, take photos and record the location and name of the vessel.

Or call the Ministry for Primary Industries' Pest and Diseases hotline on 0800 80 99 66.

Report illegal or suspicious activity

Don't take, disturb, kill or damage anything within the reserve - it's illegal. If you see people taking anything from the reserve, report the activity as soon as possible.

You can call 0800 4 POACHER (0800 476 224) or 0800 DOCHOT (0800 362 468).

It is also an offence to pollute or litter the reserve, discharge any firearm in or into the reserve or erect any structure in the reserve.