Ulva Island

Ulva is about 260 hectares in Paterson Inlet, cleared of rats in 1997 and kept clear since, and it holds forest that was never logged - so the trees are old and the understorey is intact, which matters as much as the predator removal. What visitors describe is the behaviour rather than the list: South Island saddleback, rifleman, yellowhead, weka, kaka, robin and kakariki that have no reason to fear anything and consequently do not - robins land on boots, weka investigate bags, and the birds continue about their business at arm's length. Rakiura tokoeka, the Stewart Island kiwi, are present and unusually are sometimes active by day. Tracks are short and easy, connecting a few beaches. Everything must be checked for rodents before boarding - a single stowaway rat would undo the whole thing, and that has happened on other islands.

What you actually see

• Unafraid birds - robins, weka and saddleback at arm's length.
• Unlogged forest - old trees with an intact understorey.
• The short track network - easy walking between small beaches.
• Rakiura tokoeka - the local kiwi, occasionally out in daylight.

When to go

October to April; spring for song. Water taxis run several times daily from Oban - book, and note the last return. Guided walks substantially improve what you see.

Honest expectations

Bag checks for rodents are compulsory. There are no facilities on the island - no toilets past the wharf area, no water, no shelter. Sandflies. Getting to Stewart Island itself is a ferry or flight from Bluff or Invercargill.

Nearby

Oban and Halfmoon Bay are ten minutes away; Mason Bay is across the island.