Omahu Bush & Gibraltar Rock

NO DOGS | NO HUNTING

For the safety of visitors and the protection of wildlife in Omahu Bush & Gibraltar Rock Reserve: 
- Dogs are not permitted.
- Hunting is strictly prohibited.

About Omahu Bush Reserve

Omahu Bush is an easily accessible area of native bush close to Ōtautahi Christchurch. It features many mature remnant podocarp trees and is renowned for its native tree fuchsias, ferns, and lichens. Native trees and shrubs include broadleaf, horopito pepperwood, lancewood, kānuka, five-finger, native fuchsia, cabbage tree, kaikōmako, wineberry, tōtara, silver tree fern, kahikatea, mataī, and soft tree fern.

The bush supports abundant birdlife, including korimako (bellbird), pīwakawaka (fantail), kererū, riroriro (grey warbler), tauhou (silvereye), and miromiro (tomtit). Predator control efforts in recent years have significantly increased birdlife in the reserve.

Cultural and historical significance

Research to date suggests the name Omahu means "running silently," "escaping," or "a place of healing," reflecting the area's cultural history, possibly in remembrance of an escape through the bush by followers of a Māori chief who was killed at nearby Ōmawete Coopers Knob.

Originally part of Sir Heaton Rhodes’ Otahuna Estate, the land changed hands after his death in 1956. In 1957, the Crown divided 1,978 hectares into small farms for returned servicemen under the Rehabilitation Loan Scheme. The Prendergast family acquired approximately 450 hectares, clearing the lower slopes for farming while wisely leaving the upper slopes in native bush.

In the early 1980s, Dr Brian Molloy, a respected botanist and conservation advocate, encouraged the Prendergasts to protect the bush under a Queen Elizabeth II Open Space Covenant. They agreed, and in 1985 the covenant was signed, ensuring the area’s long-term protection.

In 1998, the Gama Foundation, a charitable trust established by Grant and Marilyn Nelson, purchased the covenanted land and began restoration efforts, focusing on fencing and pest control to mitigate the impact of feral goats, pigs, deer, and possums.

In 2007, the Gama Foundation also acquired nearby Gibraltar Rock and adjoining grazing land up to the Summit Road, protecting this land with a covenant in 2008. Recognizing the need for long-term conservation, the Nelsons transferred ownership and daily management of Omahu Bush and Gibraltar Rock to the Summit Road Society in 2010. The Society now manages the reserve for public enjoyment and conservation.