Welcome to the virtual home of the Sanctuary
Mahi Whenua gardens and food forest
ORGANICS IN THE HEART OF THE CITY
This majestic green space, located by the Unitec Mt Albert campus, is home to more than 400 species of plants and trees. The fertile soil and beautiful surrounds have been providing food and enjoyment for centuries to creatures and humans. It is a green avenue for the public accessing the Oakley Creek/Te Auaunga Walkway. Find out more about the rich history of the land in the Origins section.
Since 2011, the space has operated as a successful organic community garden and food forest, run by volunteers, in partnership arrangements. It is located by the Unitec Institute of Technology campus at Mt Albert, Auckland, on land now under the ownership of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. Over 60 members and their families are directly involved. In June 2017 the group became an Incorporated Society and charitable organisation.
The Sanctuary Mahi Whenua is recognised as the space of many sustainability firsts for Auckland. These include the city's first multi-layered food forest, the first engineered swale and the first ecostructures. To read more about urban sustainability and the role the Sanctuary Mahi Whenua plays read more in the nuturing the land page.
The Sanctuary Mahi Whenua was here to stay — but its future has again been cast in doubt
The future of the Sanctuary Mahi Whenua gardens and food forest was seemingly assured in the proposed new Land for Housing development at Unitec (now known as the Carrington Development), announced 25 March 2018.
Nearly 6500 supporters signed our petition -- and our action group worked hard to achieve this result to preserve the area we all were striving for, but at times seemed near impossible.
However, we were told at the end of 2023 that the whole area of the Sanctuary Mahi Whenua is to be built over for housing.
THE FUTURE — IN 2024 THE SANCTUARY MAHI WHENUA GARDENS ARE UNDER THREAT
The Sanctuary Mahi Whenua is a beautiful place and important to many people in our community. We think that the Sanctuary will be a hugely valuable part of future communities at the Wairaka Precinct if it's protected as community green space.
Yolanda van den Bemd composed this music video about the Sanctuary Mahi Whenua to highlight the importance of this open green space for the community. It would be heartbreaking if this gem of peace, biodiversity, trees, and gardens, the Sanctuary Mahi Whenua gardens and food forest, was built over.
To be clear, we have no dispute with the intended new owners of the land, Ngāti Te Ata, and understand the need for housing.
Our objection is with the Crown allowing planning for this development and not protecting it as open green space as announced on 25 March 2018.
What you can do by 3 May 2024
Plan Change 94 has reached the Further Submissions stage, where anyone can support or oppose submissions that were received. A Further Submission response must be provided by midnight on 3 May 2024. All submissions, plus a summary of the submissions, are available at:
The Sanctuary Mahi Whenua has been mentioned to be retained in about 100 of the 230 submissions received for this plan change - so it won't be easy to overlook by the PC 94 panel when they are convened.
Anyone has the opportunity to say whether they support or oppose a particular submission (or part of a submission). No new points can be raised in a Further Submission. Go to the link below to go directly to the online form:
For anyone supporting our Society's submission, there are 5 points identified in the Society submission by the PC94 planners, and all or any can be mentioned in a Further Submission.
1. 104.1 Opposes a change in Precinct Name.
2. 104.2 Supports an increase in height of buildings provided it results in more useable open green space.
3. 104.3 Provide a masterplan that gives context to the placement of significant community services, facilities, and open space (whether public or private).
4. 104.4 Supports zone changes (Educational to BMU).
5. 104.5 Seeks more provision for open space and that the Sanctuary Gardens be identified (detailed reasoning given).
In response to whether you allow or disallow part or the whole original submission, select “Allow the whole original submission.”
Below are the details about our submission you are required to provide in a Further Submission to support the Society's submission:
Name and address of the original submitter:
Sanctuary Community Organic Garden Mahi Whenua Inc., submitted on behalf of the Society by Trevor Crosby, 40 Monaghan Ave, Mt Albert, Auckland 1025; trevorcrosby@actrix.co.nz
Submitter number: 104
Drone photograph of the Sanctuary Mahi Whenua gardens and food forest, 4 November 2019. Photograph by Cameron Crosby.