Marton Reservoirs, Stausee in der Region Manawatū-Whanganui, Neuseeland
Marton Reservoirs is a water storage area in the Rangitikei District featuring two dams stretching about 720 meters long and 210 meters wide. A 4-kilometer walking track circles the water, offering access to the flat landscape with native vegetation and open spaces for exploration.
The reservoirs were originally built as water storage and later transformed into a public nature reserve, officially opened in 2022. Beginning in 2016, volunteers cleared dense gorse and removed pine trees to allow native plant recovery and reshape the landscape.
The reservoirs serve as a gathering place where residents work together to restore the landscape and protect native wildlife. Community planting days and volunteer efforts reflect how locals connect with this space as part of their shared responsibility to the land.
The area is open daily from dusk to dawn for walking, running, and mountain biking along well-maintained trails. Dogs on leashes and horses are permitted, and a small bridge crosses a section of the track, with plans for a wider, more accessible replacement.
Local volunteers run a weekly pest trapping program that has caught over 30 stoats, protecting native birds and plants from predation. This ongoing effort demonstrates how consistent, community-led action can significantly restore an ecosystem.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
