NZ spots on greatest places list
Wellington’s Zealandia eco-sanctuary and Hiakai restaurant have been listed in Time magazine as two of the ‘‘world’s greatest places’’.
Both are among the locations to visit, stay, eat and drink in the magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2019: 100 destinations to explore right now. Also honoured was Camp Glenorchy, near Queenstown.
Time has praised Zealandia for its foresight in creating a 202-hectare predator-proof sanctuary which recently celebrated the birth of its 1000th hihi chick – a major milestone for the endangered species.
Hiakai chef Monique Fiso is credited with paying homage to her Ma¯ori roots and creating a restaurant which not only serves Ma¯ ori-inspired food but fosters new supply chains for those who wanted to cook with native ingredients.
Zealandia acting chief executive Dr Danielle Shanahan said their success showed what was possible when a community backed an ambitious idea.
‘‘It shows that cities don’t have to be places devoid of native wildlife.
‘‘In fact, Wellington is one of the world’s only cities where native biodiversity is increasing rather than decreasing,’’ Shanahan said.
The Time story says: ‘‘Before New Zealand was home to humans, chatty birds like the tu¯ ı¯ and kereru¯ dominated the land’s lush green hills and valleys.
‘‘But the arrival of invasive mammalian predators drove many native species to extinction.
‘‘In the early 1990s, sanctuary founder Jim Lynch envisioned a pest-proof environment in the heart of Wellington ... since the mesh was erected in 1999, more than 20 species of native wildlife have been reintroduced.’’
The Time list was drawn from nominations across a variety of categories including museums, parks, restaurants and hotels.
Wellingtonnz general manager Anna Calver said being recognised as having two of the world’s top 100 greatest places was a big achievement for a city the size of Wellington.
‘‘This is a truly incredible accolade for Zealandia and Monique Fiso.
‘‘They have both shown true vision which is paying off big time with the sort of global recognition that can’t be bought.’’
Fiso was putting contemporary Ma¯ ori cuisine on the global map and making New Zealand food famous in the process, Calver said.
Zealandia showed the payoffs of ‘‘bold thinking’’, she said.
‘‘Their success will further boost our profile as a great destination for international and domestic visitors who are collectively worth $2.7 billion a year to the Wellington regional economy.’’