Westpac Watercare Grant Recipients

2025 Westpac Water Care Project Grant Recipients

In 2025, a diverse group of catchment initiatives from across Aotearoa New Zealand were selected to receive support through the Westpac Water Care Project. These projects demonstrate the power of community-led environmental restoration, tackling challenges ranging from water quality and biodiversity loss to habitat restoration and community engagement.

Living Springs – Canterbury Region

Location: Banks Peninsula, above Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō
Catchment Area: 1,130 hectares

What they’re doing
Living Springs is restoring a large catchment that spans from the summit to the sea. Their work includes native planting, wetland restoration, predator and weed control, bio-monitoring, and citizen science.

Due to the steep and rugged terrain, the team spends significant time building and maintaining tracks to access remote restoration sites. To improve efficiency and safety, they are introducing a power barrow to help transport materials such as traps, bait, and plants into hard-to-reach areas.

This work builds on a long-standing partnership with Ngāti Wheke and Conservation Volunteers New Zealand.

Impact
Enhancing biodiversity, improving habitat connectivity, and enabling long-term conservation across a challenging landscape.

Between the Two Rivers – Eastern North Island

Location: Hawke’s Bay, between the Ngaruroro and Tūtaekurī Rivers
Catchment Area: 90,252 hectares

What they’re doing
This catchment collective is constructing and installing nine floating wetlands on Lake Rūnanga to reduce nutrient levels and algal blooms. The project includes reintroducing native wetland plants, creating habitat for birds, and involving local schools, marae, and landowners in planting and education events.

The wetlands are being developed using natural materials such as harakeke and bamboo, and the group is documenting the process so the approach can be replicated elsewhere.

Impact
Improving lake health, reconnecting communities with their environment, and demonstrating scalable, low-cost restoration techniques.

Otaio / Makikihi Catchments – South Canterbury

Location: South Canterbury, between Timaru and Waimate

What they’re doing
The group is identifying priority riparian and wetland sites for restoration and planting native species to improve water quality. They are also enhancing river management through fencing and fish barrier improvements.

Alongside this work, the group is building awareness within the community about the importance of catchment health and developing an action plan to guide future restoration initiatives.

Impact
Strengthening ecological resilience, supporting biodiversity, and fostering a more informed and engaged local community.

Makarewa Headwaters Revival Project – Southland

Location: Lora and Otapiri Gorges near Winton
Catchment Area: 41,200 hectares

What they’re doing
The project is implementing Phase 2 of its feral ungulate management strategy to reduce the impact of deer and pigs on native ecosystems.

The group is establishing monitoring plots to track vegetation recovery and using tools such as eDNA testing and stream health assessments. They are also enhancing a community restoration area with native planting, walking paths, and picnic spaces.

Impact
Reducing ecological damage from feral animals, restoring native bush, and strengthening community involvement in biodiversity protection.

Ōtara Waterways and Lake Trust – Upper North Island

Location: South Auckland
Catchment Area: 3,477 hectares including 200 km of streams

What they’re doing
Ōtara Waterways and Lake Trust is restoring 54 hectares of stream corridors by planting more than 18,000 native plants across 25 sites.

Their Stream Team removes debris, controls pests, and prepares planting sites, while Kai Mahi volunteer groups, schools, and businesses take part in restoration days and community events.

Impact
Improving water quality, enhancing biodiversity, and building climate resilience in one of Auckland’s most impacted freshwater systems.

Taranaki Catchment Communities – Central North Island

Location: Awatuna Catchment, Taranaki

What they’re doing
The group is improving fish passage by surveying waterways, identifying barriers, and installing fish-friendly culverts and bypass channels.

Farmers are being supported to learn about native fish migration, while monitoring tools such as eDNA kits and water flow meters track improvements in waterway health. Riparian planting is also underway to enhance aquatic habitats.

Impact
Supporting native fish populations, promoting sustainable land management, and empowering the community to take an active role in freshwater restoration.