Predator Free Wānaka is a community-led initiative, run by volunteers who set up and manage trap lines around Wānaka, Hāwea, Hāwea Flat, Albert Town, and Luggate.

We protect precious native wildlife by reducing the number of introduced predators in the region.

We’re 100% run by volunteers - all funds raised go directly to the cause!

Our committee includes volunteers and trappers, along with technical trapping experts, an education advisor, and a community engagement coordinator.

Kris Vollebregt was integral in setting up Wānaka Backyard Trapping in 2018; we renamed to Predator Free Wānaka in 2025.

We currently manage over 1,100 traps across more than 30 lines on public land, targeting a wide range of introduced predators – mice, rats, hedgehogs, possums, stoats, ferrets and weasels.

In addition, we’ve helped set up more than 400 traps on private land.

We are often asked about cats - find our policy here.

Since our group formed, thousands of predators have been removed from our local environment by trapping.

All of the trapping work is done by our network of dedicated volunteers.

Every trap brings us one step closer to the ultimate goal of making the Upper Clutha a predator-free region of Aotearoa.

Our objective is to scale up our trapping network to cover more ground and link up existing trap lines. Thousands more traps and plenty of people power will be needed to achieve this goal!

We publish a periodic newsletter and trapping workshops and visits to schools and preschools to raise awareness.

The benefits of our mahi? More native birds, skinks, geckos and lizards in our public land, backyards, and mountains… all contributing their ‘ecosystem services’ to the environment, making the Wānaka region an even more amazing place to live!

To help, we invite you to get involved.

Our people

  • Guy Kennedy - Chairperson/Exec

  • Paula Fernandez Costagliola - Treasurer/Exec

  • Ian Clarke - Strategy & trap line coordinator, Exec

  • Gerad McArthur - Trap line coordinator, Exec

  • Megan Davies - Volunteer coordinator & trap line coordinator, Exec

  • Katie Dunlop - Education/Exec

  • Tom Reeves - Trap line coordinator, Exec

  • Nina Rongokea - QLDC/Exec

  • Billy Barton - Technical advisor

  • Mary Hunt - Technical advisor

  • Stu and Heather Thorne - Trap line coordinators, Albert Town

  • Judy Thompson - Trap line coordinator, Luggate

  • Cath Watson - Trap line coordinator, Hāwea

  • Di Trethewey - Trap line coordinator, Wānaka

  • Di Somerville - Trap line coordinator, Wānaka

  • Chrissy Wickes - Trap line coordinator, Wānaka

  • Helen Clarke - Trap line coordinators, Wānaka

  • Ewen Whitefield - Trap line coordinator, Wānaka

  • Simon Ellis - Trap line coordinator, Wānaka

  • Ewan Mackie - Trap line coordinator, Wānaka

  • Amanda Young - Trap line coordinator, Wānaka

  • Megan Sutherland - Trap line coordinator, Wānaka

  • Andy Oxley - Trap line coordinator, Wānaka

Our region

The Upper Clutha region describes the network of rivers, valleys, lakes, wetlands and mountains surrounding the settlements of Wānaka, Hāwea, Hāwea Flat, Albert Town, and Luggate.

Although this region has been vastly modified by humans over hundreds of years, many ‘biodiversity hotspots’ remain. Mou Waho Island – a predator-free sanctuary in Lake Wānaka; the kanuka-clad Mt Iron; the regenerating forest on the shores of the lakes, creeks and rivers. Patches of native beech forest cling onto steep mountainsides while ancient Podocarp trees hide away on the western side of Lake Wānaka. Incredible alpine areas tower over everything.

The region is home to at least 50 native bird species, which can be recorded via the eBird app. Thirteen species of endemic lizards (skinks and geckos) have been found here too, including alpine species. The invertebrate species are are diverse and found from the lakes up to the mountain tops.

Local groups

We work with many local groups and organisations: Albert Town Community Association, Hāwea Community Association, Luggate Community Association, Penrith Residents Group, Kirimoko Park residents, Lakeside Road Enhancement Group, WAI Wānaka, Cardrona/RealNZ, Wānaka Community Workshop, Bike Wānaka, EnviroSchools, NaturED, Queenstown Lakes District Council, Otago Regional Council, Department of Conservation, Forest & Bird’s Central Otago Lakes Branch, Whakatipu Wildlife Trust and the Southern Lakes Sanctuary.

Southern Lakes Sanctuary

Predator Free Wānaka is a consortium member of the Southern Lakes Sanctuary Trust, established in 2021 with funding from the NZ government via the Jobs For Nature / Mahi mō te taiao programme. We are represented on the Sanctuary’s board of trustees by our Chairperson.

Our Community Engagement Coordinator position is funded by the Southern Lakes Sanctuary.