Omaui coastline view - reward at end of a trap track line
Protecting Bush Birdlife at Omaui — Second Service Project for 2026
Our second service project for 2026 was completed on 21 February, with members once again joining the Omaui Landcare Charitable Trust (OLCT) for a hands‑on Traps and Tracks work day to help protect native bush birdlife at Omaui.
OLCT is an environmental volunteer group dedicated to eradicating pests in the Omaui Reserves so native wildlife can thrive. Their efforts have been previously recognised as both winners and finalists in the Environment Southland Community Awards for “bringing birdsong back to the picturesque coastal location of Omaui.”
Protecting the environment is one of Rotary International’s seven areas of focus, this work day was our second time supporting the Trust, following our first work day in August 2025.
Across more than 20 bush track lines, OLCT maintains a network of around 600 toxin‑free, automatic gas‑operated rat and stoat traps. These traps require re‑baiting and re‑gassing every six months — a significant and costly undertaking.
President Michael, Ollie Smith and OLCT volunteer Malcolm Loan worked on Line ‘E’.
Track lines are marked with blue arrows, and each trap location is marked with yellow triangles, spaced approximately 25–50 metres apart.
Volunteers were paired with experienced OLCT team members who demonstrated the process and guided the work. Members could choose how hands‑on they wanted to be with the re‑baiting and re‑gassing.
Each volunteer team begins on their allocated track line off Mokomoko Road, following the blue triangle markers through the bush.
At every yellow triangle, a trap is located and the following tasks were completed:
- Re‑baiting the trap using the newly introduced flavoured oil bait
- Replacing the CO₂ cylinder that powers the automatic trap mechanism
- Checking and re‑levelling traps where needed by moving the trap to another position or tree
- If traps were moved, trap indicators (yellow triangles) were moved also
OLCT volunteer John Johnstone, Alice Pottinger and Ross Wensley worked on Line ‘H’
OLCT volunteer John Ladbrook, Trish Lindsay and Lisa-Maree Fleck worked on Line ‘G’
On this work day, three of the 20 track lines — H, E, and G — each with approx 60 traps had rebaiting, regassing and repositioning undertaken.
Once volunteers reached the end of their allocated track line, they were rewarded with spectacular views across the Omaui coastline, Stewart Island, the windfarm, and the wider Southern landscape.
The return journey followed the public walking track down to the Omaui Reserve, with opportunities to stop at lookouts for even more stunning views of the surrounding bush and coastline.
The next work day is planned for August 2026 and it would be great to have a few more volunteers so we can support with a few more track lines. If you want to know more about whats invovled - catch up with the Club members who helped out on Work Day #2.
The Omaui Landcare Charitable Trust was formed in 2013 by local residents concerned about the declining health of native bush and wildlife in the area.
You can read more about their work here:
https://www.omauilandcarecharitabletrust.co.nz/about
OLCT volunteers Malcolm Loan, John Ladbrook and John Johnstone.