COME AND SEE US: Marquee 4 Stand 45 Matt Jones of Wildlife Images & Jules Retberg are attending and will be at our booth under the 100% Pure NZ Banner. We are beside Albatross Encounter, Kapiti Island Alive and Heritage Expeditions; we are all representing the NZ Birding Network so you can find out all about every birding/wildlife operator on an especially designed roadmap of New Zealand. Very helpful indeed for avid birdwatchers!
We are in the midst of the cruise ship season and the Clipper Odyssey has some amazingly talented and knowledgeable expedition leaders.....herewith our Ulva's Guided Walks guides with the author, Peter Harrison. He wrote the seabird 'bible' for people like us - and this photo is a few of his fan club on Stewart Island!
Left to right: The infamous Peter Harrison, Matt Jones, Sandy King (holding the aforementioned Seabird identification 'bible'), Ann Pullen and Moi!
Stewart Island is one of the least modified islands in our New Zealand archipelago, and is a mecca for cruise ships with overseas passengers. They sail into Paterson Inlet (on the east side of Stewart Island) to gently glide past our rugged forested beauty. They usually moor outside of Ulva Island Bird Sanctuary. We have nine ships this summer season. If you are planning to come to our stunning island, please be aware of these dates:
2009: December 13th; December 18th; December 20th; December 25th (Christmas Day holiday!); December 26th (Boxing Day holiday!); December 27th and December 29th.
The Ulva Island Trust in conjunction with the Department of Conservation are entrusting Sirocco to be on Ulva Island again this year from 8 September to 22 October 2008. Latest statistics are that there are less than 90 adult kakapo in the world - but there are at least four chicks that are receiving 24hr care to ensure their survival... * Bookings for 2008 Kakapo Encounter, transport to and from Stewart Island as well as accommodation can be made at our local Stewart Island Visitor Centre: stewartisland@i-SITE.org
* This is the brilliant Don Merton - he was mainly instrumental in bringing back the Black Robin from near extinction (there was only one breeding female left in the world); also was a huge part in the recovery of the critically endangered kakapo and southern saddleback.
Famous United Kingdom presenter BEN FOGLE recently did a show on New Zealand for BBC Wildlife. He and his film crew had a great time on Stewart Island and had no problem eating the local seafood... The video and youtube show him -
NZ Herald, Autumn 2008 AA Travel 101 MUST DO in NZ article
Birdman of Ulva
...Marcus Lush makes numerous feathered friends on Stewart Island....
Imagine Stewart Island as a fat boomerang facing this way <. Now take a big bite out of the eastern side about a third of way down. This is Paterson Inlet - inside that is Ulva Island and on Ulva Island is me.
It's not an island within an island but its pretty close. I am here with Ulva Goodwillie who is named after this Ulva Island which was named for one Ulva Island in the Hebrides off Scotland's west coast.
I am here for the birds. .. there are other predator-free bird sanctuaries in NZ but Ulva Island is the best and the only one that retains the ancient primeval forest.
...no sooner do we step foot on the island than the birds arrive, from now on its birdarama. Here I should say that mine is the personality type least suided to bird watching - noisy, impatient, fidgety and easily bored. But Ulva is making the day a joy. I know I've seen other kinds of birds but I can't read my notes - I don't know whether this is because I was so excited or because I haven't used a pen for about 10 years, but Ulva has kept track for me; Stewart Island saddleback, yellowhead, brown creepers, weka, kaka, rifleman, tomtits (yellow breasted), Stewart Island robin, tui, bellbird and wood pigeons.
...I have never had an experience like Ulva Island; consequently it's a hard one to categorise. It was, though, a life highlight - an day of beauty and gentle learning. And Ulva was a bird spotting joy with her hat, her stick and HER island....
January/February 2008 - Summer Update:
Outstanding new Ulva Island movie: 'Primeval Paradise – the story of Ulva Island'
Scott Mouat (outstanding film-maker for Primeval Paradise – the story of Ulva Island) now has a high definition infrared camera, the only one of its kind in the world. Scott has this camera to film the Code of the Kakapo, a 90min feature film produced by Elwin Productions. This documentary will cover the remarkable work that has gone into bringing the world’s rarest wild parrot back from the brink of extinction. Due to the shy nature and nocturnal behaviour of the kakapo, an infrared camera is the only option for filming unawares. For more information: www.doc.govt.nz (search: kakapo) AND www.elwin.co.nz .
Ulva Island Charitable Trust presents…. KAKAPO ENCOUNTER. Your chance to see one of less than 86 kakapo remaining in the world!
Ulva Island will host a critically endangered kakapo on Ulva Island Bird Sancctuary, Stewart Island. See this highly protected, chrarismatic and extremely endearing bird with the help of knowledgable guides and an experienced handler. AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2008. BOOK TO COME TO STEWART ISLAND NOW!!!!!!
NEWS IN BRIEF:
Fledglings of all species of birds on Ulva Island abound; weka, variable oystercatchers, robins, saddlebacks (jackbirds), rifleman, yellowhead, brown creeper, tomtit, bellbirds, tui etc etc
The best flowering of southern rata for over 10yrs
Very hot summer, visitors swimming at Sydney Cove
The Fernery Gallery & Gift Shop now the booking office for Ulva’s Guided Walks. Exceptional array of flora and fauna art work, pottery, photos, cards and gifts pertaining to the Stewart Island environment. Stewart Island and NZ artists are displayed.
Yellow eyed penguin update: 10 chicks monitored on the NW side of Stewart Island have died. The signs and symptoms of last year (100% death rate) has been repeated. Yellow eyed penguins in other areas of Stewart Island seem to be going okay – we need to take a recount at the end of February, early March
August 2007 - Ulva's Guided Walks attends British Bird Fair
Just arrived home from the massive British Bird Fair held in Rutland Waters, north of London in August. It was HUGE, over 30,000 visitors at last count, 8,000 on the first day. The kiwi operators: Albatross Encounter from Kaikoura, Heritage Expeditions from Christchurch, Kiwi Wildlife Tours NZ from Auckland, Kapiti Island Alive from Kapiti Island (off Wellington) and Ulva's Guided Walks from Ulva Island Bird Sanctuary, Stewart Island.
'The NZ presence was obvious thanks to an oversized 100% Pure New Zealand banner and striking display material from all the operators. We won third prize for the best stand..' NZ Tourism Business Spring magazine.
AND I think everyone from Britain that ever came on my guided walk on Ulva Island Bird Sanctuary came to see me on my stand. It was wonderful to catch up with them all.
ABSOLUTELY NEW! AN ULVA ISLAND NATURE DOCUMENTARY
The Ulva Island Trust in conjunction with Natural History NZ Ltd is launching the DVD on Friday 27th July 2007 at the Stewart Island Community Hall.
‘PRIMEVAL PARADISE – THE STORY OF ULVA ISLAND’
This 60min DVD promises to show you a side of island life rare witnessed. The DVD includes Ulva Island, the film. A short guide to filming New Zealand Birds also an identification guide to the birds of Ulva Island.
Click here for the 2007 Ulva Island update from the Department of Conservation on Stewart Island.
Bruce Elder, Sydney Morning Herald
Bruce was the invited speaker at the Maori Tourism Conference in Taupo, NZ, July 2007.
He singled out Ulva’s Guided Walks: “now – that walk was truly brilliant, what I would call an authentic, conservation and environmental tourism experience. Everyone should go there and see how its done…”
Below is a portion of his daily blog from his travels around New Zealand:
Today, along with a small group on environmentally committed Americans, I went on Ulva's Guided Walk. Now Ulva can trace her ancestry back to that Maori-sealer connection. Her roots are Scottish which is why her full name is Ulva Goodwillie - and, yes, it is rather ironic that someone who at birth was named after one of the islands lying near Stewart Island is now providing specialist natural history walks on Ulva Island.
Ulva - the island, not the guide - is a predator-free destination which is an almost totally pristine temperate rainforest. A walk through this cool, dark forest is an opportunity to become a latent "twitcher" and to marvel at the Stewart Island robins which keep popping out of the forest and demanding that the ground by scraped so they can find little food titbits.
You will be entranced by the weka - a native bird which looks more like a kiwi than the average kiwi does - who wander through the bush; the kaka (New Zealand's native parrots); the tui (a variety of bellbird) and the glorious, darting and weaving fantails. If you are lucky you might see yellow-eyed penguins and kiwis - although don't count on it. It is also an opportunity to study the flora of Ulva Island and the surrounding granite outcrops. This includes a range of unusual ferns, lichens, mosses and orchids as well as the miro, rimu and totara trees. This trip with Ulva was a unique nature experience – you have to find this out for yourself!
Prime Minister puts in a plug for Ulva Island at Trenz PM Helen Clark has given a strong plug for a special tourism experience on Ulva Island, Paterson Inlet, Stewart Island, Speaking at the annual tourism awards in Wellington Ms Clark said the unique ecotourism, experience enables visitors to see rare and endangered flora and fauna – and one of only 86 kakapo left in the world.
This has been made possible due to a partnership between a local transport operator, a community trust which ensures the island remains predator free and that tracks are maintained - and the Department of Conservation. t is a wonderful day walk, she added. It is a world class tourism experience and thats the sort of experience we know we can offer in NZ with enormous pride. You go away thinking it can only happen here. This country is unique in that we have some very special experiences to offer.
From moving around the country and seeing a lot of people involved in tourism, particularly eco and adventure tourism, it is clear that the industry is full of people dedicated to quality in accommodation, food and beverage, transportation services, experiences and quality that drives value in our tourism industry.
In tourism you are selling an experience. We are competing for the worlds discretionary dollar and we need to be the best in everything that we do. And all over New Zealand we see tourism businesses making that commitment and in the process bringing so many jobs and so much prosperity to our country.
In government we do like to work closely and in partnership with the whole sector to move the industry and country ahead. I think tourism strategy 2010 was a huge step forward. You are half way through the timeline...the world has changed...a lot has happened in the past five years especially since September 11 2001. But we are all here with the conviction that there is a very valuable niche in the international tourism market for a beautiful country which is far from the worlds trouble spots, which has unique culture and identity, sophisticated tourism infrastructure, products and services.
We have new fledglings up and about on our stunning Ulva Island Bird Sanctuary - but we were kept waiting for them. No one wanted to nest at the usual time of October/September and the first nests with fledglings were found in the first week of December! (We were getting seriously worried..) So now, in January 2007, the Island is loud with the calling of juveniles, jackbirds and fledglings. There is one fantail nest that has just been built in the last week so I'm watching to see when the chicks appear.
We have also been visited again by our elephant seal, sunning himself on our beaches (the weather has been sunny and warm). For a young chap about 2.5m long, he moves very fast when visitors get too near. He seems to love Sydney Cove at Ulva Island.
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THE KAKAPO IS ON ULVA ISLAND!!
This is the only opportunity for you to see Sirocco.
The Ulva Island Trust has worked tirelessly with the Department of Conservation, Forest and Bird Society and Comalco NZ Ltd, to bring New Zealand's unique giant, flightless nocturnal parrot (internationally listed as a critically endangered species) to ULVA ISLAND BIRD SANCTUARY!
Sirocco is 9yrs old, one of only 86 left in the world. Sirocco was one of the first chicks produced from the recovery effort over the past 11 years. Hand reared because of early health problems Sirocco's friendly nature and awareness of people has made the evening viewing popular with local and international visitors.
His home for the next 10wks (until 23 October 2006) is an enclosure in the middle of the bush on Ulva Island under the watchful eye of a 24hr minder. Evening tours are every evening and bookings are through the Department of Conservation with Ulva Goodwillie as your official guide!
New Zealand's Prime Minister, Helen Clark, led by official guide, Ulva Goodwillie, attending the opening tour on August 12th 2006: ...'these birds are so rare - it's a fight against time for survival. The people who are really appreciative of the impact of biodiversity know that we have to go to huge lengths to bring the species out of extinction. When you see a bird that is one of 86 left in the species, it's a pretty emotional experience. This is eco-tourism at its very best.'..
Ulva Island Bird Sanctuary has been hosting a female sea elephant for the last ten days. She has been there whilst going through her moulting period. She will be off soon to get some food and fatten up enough to send her on her way to the subantarctic islands!
Sea elephant on Sydney Cove, Ulva Island - February 2006
Spring '06 has sprung! Fledgling chicks are up and about on Ulva Island Bird Sanctuary as well as the village of Halfmoon Bay. Kaka and tui have finished their flocking and most chicks are out of their nests.
Weka chicks abound! Ulva Island has three families on one beach alone....most were born in the month of October and are now reaching the size of their parents
Kaka are dominant in Halfmoon Bay - when Europeans first arrived in New Zealand, they found kaka in abundance throughout the forests of both islands, but by 1930 the birds were localised to a few areas. Today, they are still reasonably common in the Whirinaki, Pureora and Rakiura forest parks, but even within these strongholds, numbers are thought to be declining and today the kaka is classified as being Nationally Endangered. The large, noisy parrot has fallen victim to introduced predators that kill chicks on the nest and introduced competitors that deprive it of vital foods.
Spring 2005: "Tourism New Zealand are proud to announce the release of the 'Best Practice Case Tourism Operators' for New Zealand. Four categories of tourism were selected; accommodation, cultural, adventure and nature tourism."
Ulva's Guided Walks was chosen for nature tourism out of many eco-nature tourism businesses in New Zealand. "Authentic, friendly, local knowledge, interactive andknowledgeable guiding" were quoted examples among the many accolades specifically mentioned by visitors about Ulva's Guided Walks. Filming was completed earlier this year, copies of which have been shown throughout NZ tourism conferences and are now part of all tourism educational agencies as a learning tool for aspiring tourism operators.
Tourism News Spring 2005 edition has a Tourism Innovator page dedicated especially to Ulva's Guided Walks on Stewart Island, NZ. "It is one of New Zealand's few open bird sanctuaries and by taking a tour through this small piece of paradise with Ulva Goodwillie, you are in for an authentic and interactive experience..." Visitors were also interviewed: "Ulva is one of the best nature guides we've had..." and "I'm still amazed, - we've travelled all over the world and this is, by far, the best guided walk we have had.."
**UPDATE TO THE ROUGH GUIDE to Maori New Zealand: 100%Pure New Zealand, Daily Telegraph & Air New Zealand have just released the latest Rough Guide in August 2005. This booklet is the HIGHEST SELLING travel magazine for Rough Guide Publications. Tourism operators start at Cape Reinga at the northernmost tip of NZ to Ulva's Guided Walks at the southernmost end of New Zealand!
Ulva's Guided Walks is now in THE ROUGH GUIDE to Maori New Zealand. Launched in winter 2004 with 36,000 copies sent out with every Daily Telegraph paper in UK. Also a copy was given to every visitor to the New Zealand stand at the Chelsea Garden Show in UK.
..Ulva's Guided Walks - Ulva Amos runs leisurely walking tours around the Island she was named after. Ulva Island - a short watertaxi ride across Paterson Inlet, is one of New Zealand's foremost open bird sanctuaries, and Ulva brings her superb knowledgeable Maori perspective to the Island's native flora and fauna. Discover the land and people of Aotearoa/New Zealand. www.roughguides.com
Rakiura Tourism - Te Karaka: the Ngai Tahu magazine: Winter 2004
Tourism is the new lifeblood of Rakiura. Phillip Smith (Kiwi Spotting Nature Tours - phildismith@xtra.co.nz) and Ulva Amos at Ulva Island, (Ulva's Guided Walks - info@ulva.co.nz) are two Ngai Tahu at the leading edge....
Tourism is the new lifeblood of the Island that attracts thousands of visitors each year from every conceivable corner of the world to experience down under, about as far down under as you can comfortably get, without having to charter your own expedition team.
..'and its nature that's the big drawcard. Its a nature lover's paradise with pristine waters, untouched native bush and diverse wildlife.
'Ulva Amos wouldn't want to be doing anything else, anywhere else in the world. For the past years, she has been running her own business guiding nature tours on her namesake, Ulva Island, in Paterson Inlet on Rakiura/Stewart Island.'..
From 'OUTPOST' May/June 2004 - Edward Wilkinson-Latham
Point Me South: ..'New Zealand's North and South Islands have long attracted trekkers and naturalists in search of solitude and natural wonders. Less known is the third sibling - Stewart Island. Home to some of Australasia's rarest creatures, both animals and human.'
..Ulva Island lies inside Paterson Inlet and is something of a conservation marvel. New Zealand was once a land of wonderful birds that were to be found nowhere else on earth. Some of them, such as the kiwi and the weka, evolved to be flightless due to the lack of predators; others became nocturnal. Unfortunately, many of these distinct species are becoming extinct elsewhere in New Zealand at an alarming rate due to domestic pets, hunting, habitat destruction and the introducution of predators.
Ulva Island is the solution to the problem. With the total eradication of vermin, the 250hectare island forest is now a reserve for native plant and birdlife that might otherwise be extinct...
From THE NEW ZEALAND BOOK 2004-2005 (released June 2004)
..Ulva of Ulva's Guided Walks has got to be NZ's most serene and lovely lady. Take her tour and tell me if you agree.....
We are in the midst of the cruise ship season and the Clipper Odyssey has some amazingly talented and knowledgeable expedition leaders.....herewith our Ulva's Guided Walks guides with the author, Peter Harrison. 
Rare Kakapo on Ulva Island
This is the brilliant Don Merton - he was mainly instrumental in bringing back the Black Robin from near extinction (there was only one breeding female left in the world); also was a huge part in the recovery of the critically endangered kakapo and southern saddleback.
Ulva Island Charitable Trust presents…. KAKAPO ENCOUNTER. Your chance to see one of less than 86 kakapo remaining in the world!
Today, along with a small group on environmentally committed Americans, I went on Ulva's Guided Walk. Now Ulva can trace her ancestry back to that Maori-sealer connection. Her roots are Scottish which is why her full name is Ulva Goodwillie - and, yes, it is rather ironic that someone who at birth was named after one of the islands lying near Stewart Island is now providing specialist natural history walks on Ulva Island.
native parrots); the tui (a variety of bellbird) and the glorious, darting and weaving fantails. If you are lucky you might see yellow-eyed penguins and kiwis - although don't count on it. 
We have new fledglings up and about on our stunning Ulva Island Bird Sanctuary - but we were kept waiting for them. No one wanted to nest at the usual time of October/September and the first nests with fledglings were found in the first week of December! (We were getting seriously worried..) So now, in January 2007, the Island is loud with the calling of juveniles, jackbirds and fledglings. There is one fantail nest that has just been built in the last week so I'm watching to see when the chicks appear.
We have also been visited again by our elephant seal, sunning himself on our beaches (the weather has been sunny and warm). For a young chap about 2.5m long, he moves very fast when visitors get too near. He seems to love Sydney Cove at Ulva Island.
Goodwillie, attending the opening tour on August 12th 2006: ...'these birds are so rare - it's a fight against time for survival. The people who are really appreciative of the impact of biodiversity know that we have to go to huge lengths to bring the species out of extinction. When you see a bird that is one of 86 left in the species, it's a pretty emotional experience. This is eco-tourism at its very best.'..
out on Ulva Island Bird Sanctuary as well as the village of Halfmoon Bay. Kaka and tui have finished their flocking and most chicks are out of their nests.
n New Zealand, they found kaka in abundance throughout the forests of both islands, but by 1930 the birds were localised to a few areas. Today, they are still reasonably common in the Whirinaki, Pureora and Rakiura forest parks, but even within these strongholds, numbers are thought to be declining and today the kaka is classified as being Nationally Endangered. The large, noisy parrot has fallen victim to introduced predators that kill chicks on the nest and introduced competitors that deprive it of vital foods.