Quail Island Planting

Saturday 2 August 2025

What a beautiful day for our annual outing to assist the Quail Island Ecological Restoration Trust with planting more native trees and shrubs in this special place. Trust Chairman Ian and his assistant stayed overnight on the island getting plants and equipment ready for our arrival.

We were very lucky to be planting on northern slopes with all day sunshine and calm conditions. The walk to our site took us through thriving trees from previous plantings, and sparkling sea with colourful waka greeted us on arrival.

We were working on a sloping site which had been well prepared for us, including colour coded canes marking planting spots for each species. Trust Chairman Ian gave a detailed demonstration for our task of planting about 150 specimens of grey scrub species. These should cope with dry conditions, provide habitat for lizards and permit island perimeter walkers clear views of the crater rim.

Most of us were rugged up for winter and digging soon had us removing layers and adding sunhats. By lunchtime we had made good progress and were told we had planted nearly all the matagouri. Hopefully Hagley Tramping Club, who were set for planting next day, would appreciate this.

Work continued after lunch until our quota had been planted. This left us with an hour or so to return to the jetty by the route of our choice.

Many thanks to Ian and the Trust for all the hard work in planning and preparing.  We hope other planting days will go well and see all 650 plants for this year safely in the ground.

Our team:  Mike Bourke, Sue Britain, Stephen Cameron, Terry Thomsen, Ian Umbers.