Introducing the Waiwhakaata Lake Hayes Catchment Action Plan
This Catchment Action Plan (CAP) is a work programme to deliver the Waiwhakaata Lake Hayes Strategy 2025.
This CAP builds on decades of scientific research, community effort and cultural leadership. It provides a framework for coordinating future collaborative action between partners and the community to achieve the vision.
This CAP supports the Strategy’s purpose of whakakotahitanga, bringing together diverse knowledge systems, resources and people to restore the hauora of Waiwhakaata and its catchment.
The Waiwhakaata Lake Hayes Strategy 2025 emerged from a collective recognition that a coordinated, comprehensive approach to addressing challenges is imperative.
It builds on earlier initiatives, most notably the 1995 Lake Hayes Management Strategy, while embracing a more holistic, partnership-driven approach.
The Waiwhakaata Strategy Group comprises Kāi Tahu, Otago Regional Council (ORC), Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC), Te Papa Atawhai/Department of Conservation (DOC) and Friends of Lake Hayes (FOLH). The Strategy has been endorsed by ORC and QLDC.
The Strategy established the shared vision for Waiwhakaata. The next step was to translate that direction into a programme of action, beginning with the development of this CAP.
A community workshop was held on 24 June 2026 to work towards the initial actions. The evening workshop was attended by 42 people, representing mana whenua, community groups, landowners, businesses, partner agencies and restoration practitioners.
Participants identified priorities for restoration, monitoring, biodiversity, education, stewardship and future catchment management. These priorities and aspirations, supported
the direction of the Strategy, informed this CAP.
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Conclusion
Restoring the hauora of Waiwhakaata is a shared responsibility that will require ongoing collaboration between mana whenua, landowners, community groups, partner organisations and the wider community.
This Catchment Action Plan provides a shared work programme to guide collective action over the next five years.
The plan will continue to evolve in response to new knowledge, opportunities and emerging challenges. Progress will be reported annually, and the plan will be reviewed in 2031 to ensure it remains relevant and reflects new knowledge and priorities.