Maungatautari thanks locals with open day

Visitors enjoy Maungatautari Mountain trees and wildlife. Photo / File

Christmas cheer is coming to Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari on Saturday, December 14, from 10am to 2pm.

The visitor centre Manu Tioriorio will be hosting a celebration for the local Waikato community by offering an open day with entertainment and access to the southern enclosure for a koha/donation.

"The Waikato community provides great support to Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari," says marketing manager Jessica Meade.

"This is our way of saying thank you for their support. Our vision is to share the mauri and the mana of the maunga — what better time to share and say thank you than Christmas time."

There will be spot prizes up for grabs, music, giant games — just a whole lot of fun. There will also be specials on guided tours and annual memberships as well as brief info sessions with volunteer guides.

Explore the southern enclosure, hear the chorus of birds and see kāka, tieke, kererū, tūī, korimako and many more. Over the mountain you might even hear a kōkako. Take a guided tour to the wetlands and see a great number of tuatara, living freely in their large enclosure.

Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is a wildlife sanctuary that protects the flora and fauna with a 47km-long pest-proof fence.

It is a best kept secret in the Waikato and the largest of its kind in New Zealand, and quite possibly the world. Bring your rates or utility bill for proof of address.

The visitor centre is at 99 Tari Rd, Pukeatua.