Dancing Star Estate, Stewart Island

Located on Stewart Island, this pristine coastal headland comprises 172 hectares of some of the oldest native forest in New Zealand along with breath-taking world class views. At the heart of this unique property is its focus on wildlife preservation and biodiversity conservation. A large portion of the refuge has been enclosed by a state of the art, 2.1 km long, ecologically engineered fence (designed by Xcluder) to inhibit the movement into the sanctuary of non-native mammals. The property is located on the north eastern coastline of Stewart Island and 17 km from the coastline of the South Island and is accessible via either a 15 minute flight from Invercargill or an enjoyable one hour ferry ride from Bluff. The reserve contains over 126 native species, at least 11 native and/or endemic bird species, and scores of native invertebrate species. It also holds one of the highest concentrations of Kiwi in New Zealand, for its' size. Located next to 157,000 hectares of national park, this predator free environment has the potential to be a world leader in such conservation efforts. The property has on site accommodation and there are a multitude of sites identified as additional building platforms (subject to resource consent).