We made it to Tiritiri Matangi Island!

Visiting Tiritiri Matangi Island felt less like a day trip and more like stepping into a living archive of movement, colour, and attention. Every moment on the island required slowing down, listening first, watching carefully, and that state of observation stayed with me long after leaving.

From the moment we arrived, the clarity of the water at the small bay by the wharf stood out. The sea there is remarkably transparent, revealing layers of movement beneath the surface, fish, shifting light, subtle currents. It’s the kind of place that invites swimming, floating, and quiet immersion, surrounded by thriving biodiversity. The transition from open water to land feels seamless, almost intentional, as if the island is designed to welcome you gently.

Tiritiri Matangi can be reached by ferry or by private vessel, and arriving by water reinforces just how deeply connected this place is to the surrounding marine environment.

Encounters in the Forest

Walking through the island, birdlife appears gradually, never all at once, never loudly at first.

We were lucky enough to see kōkako, whose deep blue wattles and slow, deliberate movements give them an almost ancient presence. Their calls echo through the forest rather than cutting through it, creating rhythm rather than interruption.

Among the birds captured in my photographs:

• Kākāriki (New Zealand parakeet)
  Bright green with flashes of red, constantly alert and energetic. Their movement feels spontaneous yet precise, a reminder that bold colour doesn’t need excess.

• Tūī
  Instantly recognisable by its iridescent plumage and white throat tufts. The tūī moves with confidence, vocal and expressive, shifting between stillness and sudden motion.

• North Island Robin (Toutouwai)
  Grounded, curious, and observant. The robin’s muted tones and calm presence embody quiet strength, a bird that watches before it acts.

• Takahē
  Solid, striking, and deeply symbolic. Its saturated blues and greens feel almost unreal, yet entirely natural. Seeing a takahē in person is a reminder of what careful conservation makes possible.

Each species carries its own visual language, contrast, repetition, rhythm, restraint, all elements that naturally translate into pattern and textile thinking.

Water as the Next Chapter

At one point, I found myself imagining a black-fronted tern fishing, hovering, diving, emerging again, a fleeting yet precise movement that felt like the beginning of a new pattern story. That moment stayed with me.

After spending so much time around water over the past few years, it’s clear that coastal environments and marine life in Aotearoa are becoming central to my work. The way water holds light, how birds interact with its surface, and how movement becomes cyclical rather than linear, all of this is shaping what comes next.

This visit confirmed that my next patterns will be influenced by coastal species, transparency, fluid motion, and the meeting point between land and sea.

Conservation That Makes It Possible

Tiritiri Matangi is a powerful example of what long-term care and collective effort can achieve. The work done by the Department of Conservation (DOC) and the island’s volunteers is visible everywhere, in the birds, the forest, and the balance of the ecosystem.

In addition to OSOF, organisations supporting coastal and wildlife conservation in Aotearoa include:

• Forest & Bird – protecting native species and habitats nationwide

• Birds New Zealand (Ornithological Society of NZ) – research and conservation of native and coastal birds

• New Zealand Bird Rescue – rehabilitation and education

• Coastal Restoration Trust of New Zealand – focused on protecting and restoring coastal ecosystems

Supporting these organisations means supporting the environments that continue to inspire creative work grounded in place.

A Place That Teaches You How to Look

Tiritiri Matangi doesn’t demand attention, it rewards it. The island teaches you to slow down, to observe patterns already present in nature, and to recognise that inspiration often begins with simply being still long enough to notice.

For me, this visit wasn’t just about what I saw, it was about how I saw. And that shift in perspective will carry directly into the patterns I create next.

Some pics: 

Hihi/Stitchbird

The kōkako

Tīeke/North Island saddleback

Toutouwai/North Island robin

Takahē

Thank you for reading me, 

Mara :)