Inside the world's largest accessible mainland gannet colony — what the visit involves, when to go, and how it pairs with a Hawke's Bay wine day.
Cape Kidnappers, at the southern end of Hawke's Bay, is home to the largest and most accessible mainland gannet colony in the world — around 20,000 Australasian gannets nest here each breeding season, close enough to observe without disturbing the birds, on a working farm that doubles as New Zealand's largest privately owned wildlife sanctuary.
Getting to the Colony
The gannet plateau sits at the tip of a dramatic headland, and the only way to reach it without an extended walk is by 4x4 overland tour, travelling through Cape Kidnappers Station's riverbeds, rolling farmland, and native bush before arriving at the colony itself. The operator running these tours has been doing so for more than fifty years, and the drive alone — with sweeping views across Hawke's Bay to the Mahia Peninsula — is worth the trip before the birds even come into view.
What You'll See
The gannets nest in dense, orderly rows across the plateau, and the colony is active with movement throughout the day: adults returning from fishing trips, pairs performing their distinctive bill-touching greeting ritual, and — depending on timing — chicks in various stages of development. The birds are remarkably unbothered by visitors standing just metres away, a product of decades of careful, low-impact tourism management. The breeding season runs from around September to April, which is the window during which the colony can be visited.
A Working Sanctuary
Cape Kidnappers Station is more than a backdrop for the gannets — it's an active predator-free sanctuary supporting a range of native species alongside its farming operations, one of the more significant private conservation efforts in the region. The overland journey to the colony passes through this working landscape, and guides typically cover both the farm's operations and the sanctuary's conservation work as part of the drive.
Pairing with a Wine Day
Cape Kidnappers sits close enough to Hawke's Bay's wine country that a gannet colony visit and a cellar door afternoon combine naturally into a single day — morning at the colony, when the light and bird activity are typically best, followed by lunch and tastings at one of the region's vineyards. It's one of the more popular combinations we build for guests, and having a private vehicle means the timing between the two can be set around the tide and weather conditions that affect colony access, rather than a fixed group departure slot.
Every Elite New Zealand experience is arranged exclusively for your group. No shared vehicles, no group schedules — just your journey, your way.
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