Moko Hills - Bendigo, Central Otago, NZ

Moko Hills is a 40ha family-owned estate encompassed within the foothills of the Dunstan Range, in the Central Otago wine subregion of Bendigo.

The vineyard blocks are embraced by a unique mix of native flora and fauna – Stands of kānuka (Kunzea ericoides) and kōwhai (Sophora microphylla) hugging the outcrops of quartz and schist. These trees acting as messengers between the land and anyone with a willingness to listen.

The flowering kōwhai signals the end of winter and approaching warmer weather. The bright yellow flowers, a stark contrast to the surrounding landscape palette, entice the awakening to its iridescent folds.

The kānuka waits for summer. Its small, white but intensely perfumed flowers are a signal that the neighbouring grapevines are about to begin the all-important period of flowering.
This is the peak of activity at Moko Hills. A deep and constant hum surrounds you – native bees, wasps, and beetles jut from one flower to the other, zigzagging along the hill slopes.

Among these iconic trees, a range of native shrubs, mosses and fungal communities intertwine, creating home and refuge for a range of endemic species. Lizards | Mokomoko, such as the kawarau gecko (Woodworthia sp.), bathe upon the sun-baked rock, blending into the mossy cover. Pairs of Fantails | Pīwakawaka (Rhipidura fuliginosa) dance between branches, snapping up the occasional insect.