Reporter Georgina Campbell tries a Wallaby in a blanket at Wellington's Pest Feast.
Reporter Georgina Campbell tries a Wallaby in a blanket at Wellington's Pest Feast.
New Zealand's pests are being turned into mouth-watering morsels for Conservation Week.
Wellington's Harbourside Market will be home to wallaby sausage rolls, fennel gelato, pine bark sourdough and wild venison burgers until next Sunday.
This year's Conservation Week theme is "love your backyard" and the capital is getting on board with its very own Pest Feast.
Some got slightly carried away by their culinary experiences and took the theme to heart. They somewhat jokingly considered hunting local possums to create their own pest snacks.
Wallaby in a blanket turned out to be a favorite at the market with all 50 being sold by midday.
Baker James Dwight helped to gather pine bark, dry it and mill it to make flour for a sourdough. Photo / Georgina Campbell
A stuffed wallaby was placed next to the pie warmer for special effect.
Wellington City Council biosecurity technical advisor Illona Keenan said there were two key populations of wallabies in New Zealand, one in the Bay of Plenty and one in Canterbury.
"They're a herbivore, so they're a pest because they eat the understorey of forests", she said.
Other best sellers included wild banana passionfruit and chocolate crowns and pine bark sourdough by Shelly Bay Baker.
Baker James Dwight said they first had to gather the pine bark, then dry it out and mill it into a flour.
"It's an intense process", he said.
Keenan said pine trees were a pest because they were taking over riverbeds in the South Island and areas in Wellington where native forest wasn't already established.
Punter Matt O'Connor had done the rounds at the market trying the Wallaby in a blanket, venison croquette and wild venison burger.
Punter Matt O'Connor tucks into a wild venison burger. Photo / Georgina Campbell
He put the quality of the venison down to two things.
"Probably its wild upbringing and the fact that it's a pest make it taste twice as good."
A morning downpour in the capital was too much for the gelato machine.
But if weather prevails, wild fennel and brown sugar gelato and wild elderflower and lemon gelato will be on offer next weekend.
Keenan said the market was all about having fun and raising awareness.
"It's a great way to show that you care and every little thing that everybody does helps and will help conserve all of the special things that are uniquely New Zealand."
