Department of Conservation

Our vision is for New Zealand to be the greatest living space on Earth | Kāore he wāhi i tua atu i a Aotearoa, hei wahi noho i te ao.
The Department of Conservation is responsible for protecting native wildlife, and overseeing the management of about a third of New Zealand’s land area and the natural and historical resources it contains. This work sits at the very heart of New Zealand’s nationhood – what it is to be Kiwi. We manage natural and historical resources for their intrinsic values, for the services that ecosystems provide us with today, to safeguard options for future generations and for recreational use and enjoyment by the public.
Visit our Visitor Centre on Stanley Street in the heart of Queenstown to learn about local tracks to walk, get local weather conditions, or to buy your hut tickets. The Visitor Centre also has a great shop stocking topographic maps and other great conservation-themed merchandise.