Cambridge News | October 23, 2025

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CAMBRIDGE NEWS | 1

THURSDAY OCTOBER 23, 2025

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OCTOBER 23, 2025

Sanctuary battles back

By Chris Gardner

Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is working towards breaking even this financial year. Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust, which operates the world’s largest predator proof fence at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari near Cambridge, made an operating loss of $34,000 in the financial year to June 30. This year’s financial result compares to a loss of more than $500,000 the previous year. The 3400-hectare

operation which is home to more than 730 native species of flora, fauna and fungi, costs the trust $5000 a day. Endangered wildlife includes the North Island brown kiwi, kākāpō, and Hochstetter’s frog. Asked how the result had been accomplished ahead of Tuesday’s annual meeting, Sanctuary Mountain chief executive Helen Hughes said: “Through sheer exhaustion.” “It’s a combination of operational efficiency and looking at more ways to bring in more money,” she said. Last year Hughes told

The News that a cash flow crisis could force the trust to shut up shop in six weeks following the loss of $300,000 worth of contestable Department of Conservation funding. “I feel like I am screaming in a crowded space, and nobody is listening,” Hughes said at the time. Last August the trust had to let seven of its 13 mountain rangers go, as $589,000 worth of DOC Jobs for Nature funding dried up. In February the project started to turn the corner when a one-off funding

injection of $750,000 over three years was announced by the government. Another announcement this financial year will help the trust edge further out of the red. Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, in partnership with New Zealand based environmental consultancy Ekos, launched biodiversity credits on an international trading platform. “Our 1000-year plan and our scale provide the opportunity to test new ways of doing things, including

finding new revenue streams to enable the sanctuary to continue to deliver exceptional biodiversity outcomes,” Hughes said at the time. She says the fund is ticking along. Hughes has worked to attract more grants and recently hosted a group of philanthropic funders to showcase the work of the project. Staff are also looking at other forms of revenue, including expanding the range of items available in the shop, providing a shuttle

Helen Hughes

service for those tramping across the mountain, and new nature tours of the enclosure.

We’re in the medals Two Waipā riders have starred at the UCI Para-Cycling track world championships which wrapped up on Monday. Devon Briggs is returning home to Cambridge from Brazil with a gold medal again. On Monday he clocked up his second successive world championship cycling track title in Rio de Janeiro. And Ngāhinapōuri’s Nicole Murray, who enjoyed world championship medal success on the road seven weeks ago, won bronze on the final day in the C5 10,000m. She rode down the attempted breaks and was strong in the spring to finish on the podium for her fourth medal of the week. Victory in the C3 10km race for the 21-year-old Briggs came at the same velodrome as his 2024 success. He sat in the pack for much of the race, then unleashed a

sprint on the final lap. “Overall it has been an amazing week,” said Briggs. “I rode a good strong race and had a good sprint at the end. And I get to wear the rainbow jersey for another year.” He was part of a four strong Cycling New Zealand team who won three medals on the fourth and final day to card 13 for the championships. Emma Foy (Dargaville) and Rotorua’s Siobhan Terry completed the team. Cycling New Zealand Para-cycling head coach Brendon Cameron from Te Awamutu said it had been a good four days with a new format and some new races in the UCI calendar - most to be raced at the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. Briggs missed part of the Paris Paralympics with injury. The UCI Track World Championships in Chile start today.

Devon Briggs in action on Monday.

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