Rhys Mills has worked at Ngā Manu Nature Reserve for more than 30 years

Rhys Mills with a kea called Jimmy. Photo / David Haxton

Rhys Mills always had an interest in the outdoors, especially flora and fauna, when growing up.

After finishing school he did a year-long conservation and ecology course through Manawatū Polytechnic.

But it was out and about in the bush where his nature education really blossomed.

He started out doing voluntary work at Pūkana National Wildlife Centre, in Wairarapa, and other parts of the country.

Then he became a fulltime volunteer at the Ngā Manu Nature Reserve, in Waikanae, for the Department of Conservation.

“I gradually got myself known and eventually landed a job here.”

Rhys has worked at the reserve for more than 30 years and is part of a small dedicated staff and its team of willing volunteers ensuring the vision of founder Peter McKenzie lives on.

A wealth of flora and fauna knowledge has been acquired by Rhys over the years, and he is more than happy to share it with visitors.

“I’ve got a real fascination with any underdog species. I was very passionate about New Zealand orchids for a long time, and now my strength is with New Zealand’s parasitic plants like mistletoes, woodrows, and that sort of thing. I’m also interested in reptiles, invertebrates, fish, you name it - I’m into it.”

His days are varied from office work, talking to customers, leading tours, plant and animal work, to working with rangers and volunteers to ensure the reserve is in good shape.

Tuatara are a key attraction at the Ngā Manu Nature Reserve. Photo / Roger Smith

Asked what he enjoyed about his role, Rhys said, “I guess the variety and the conservation outcomes. A lot of what people see, when you visit here, is only a drop in the bucket of what we actually do. We’re involved in quite a lot of captive breeding and breed-for-release programmes.”

Ngā Manu Nature Reserve, a non-profit charitable trust, celebrates its 50th anniversary in February 2024.

It will be a time to enjoy the various festivities as well as a chance to reflect back to the beginning and salute those who have helped along the way.

If there’s anyone who can help, in any shape or form, please come forward.

Rhys Mills

The origins of the reserve started when Peter McKenzie was a young man working at Wellington Zoo.

Various discussions with colleagues led to a desire to create a special place with indigenous, rather than exotic, species.

The idea was put on ice because they didn’t have the capital to get it off the ground, but a few weeks before his 21st birthday, Peter learnt he would receive an inheritance from his grandfather Sir John McKenzie - founder of McKenzie’s chain stores and one of New Zealand’s early philanthropists.

Some of the money was set aside for his vision, a board of trustees was formed, before a suitable lowland swamp forest site in Waikanae was located for the reserve.

Eel feeding at the Ngā Manu Nature Reserve.

The trust leased a 14-hectare site from farmer Moss Smith and took it over in April 1978 which led to a lot of work creating major ponds, wetlands, planting of indigenous trees and shrubs, building aviaries and animal enclosures, and lots more.

Ngā Manu [which means birds] was officially opened to the public in late 1981, with the trust buying the site shortly after.

Countless people have enjoyed visiting the reserve over the years and enjoyed a variety of bush walks, accompanied by a symphony of birdsong, where they’ve encountered majestic examples of kahikatea, puketua, rimu and swamp maire. Climbing a massive fort to get an overview of the reserve and beyond has had wide appeal too.

They’ve seen tuatara basking in the sun, watched kiwi rummaging around in their nocturnal house, marvelled at the daily eel feeding time, and walked through aviaries to get up-close-and-personal with kākā, kea, kākāriki and whio.

A former classroom has been converted into an educational building called Robin’s Nest where events have been held and people married, and many have stayed overnight in Theo’s Cottage.

A green gecko at the Ngā Manu Nature Reserve.

Peter died in 2012, after a battle with cancer, but would have had a sense of pride about the hard mahi that has been carried out by many at the reserve.

Rhys said there would be “a lot of changes” over the next 50 years but it was too early to be specific.

“The main thing is we’re looking for support to move forward. If there’s anyone who can help, in any shape or form, please come forward. One of ways of helping is partaking in one of our tours [seeing kiwi, tuatara, eels and more] or coming through as a standard visitor. All that money goes towards helping grow the reserve.”

In the meantime, the reserve team would carry on “preserving what we’ve got and maintaining the reserve” as well as “introducing people to wildlife on a level which can pique their interest and get them further involved down the track”.

Moreover, it was about staying true to Peter’s vision.

“Our kaupapa is conserving and preserving New Zealand’s native flora and fauna, and connecting people with nature through education programmes and visitor experience.”

- This story is featured in the latest Celebrating Kāpiti spring/summer magazine.