Banks Peninsula Storm Resilience Fund
The February 2026 storm caused more than $500,000 worth of damage across Banks Peninsula in just 48 hours. For the trusts, reserves, and community organisations that help maintain the public trail network—typically relying on volunteers, donations, and limited or no public funding—costs of this magnitude are impossible to absorb.
Every dollar spent repairing storm damage is a dollar diverted from pest control, native planting, and routine track maintenance. Your donation to the Banks Peninsula Storm Resilience Fund helps restore damaged tracks today while protecting the landscape, native taonga, and outdoor recreation spaces for future generations.
As storms become more frequent and more severe, our local tracks, reserves, and native ecosystems are paying the full price. With limited public funding available for repairing flooded trails, it's up to us, the trampers, bikers, mountaineers, explorers, outdoor enthusiasts, businesses and local organisations who care about Banks Peninsula to step up and support it for generations to come.
Heartfelt thanks to Macpac for helping to amplify the campaign in-store and across social media, and contributing a significant donation to the fund.
Funding Details
In March 2026, we partnered with Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust to open an Emergency Fund for the recovery of popular walking and cycling tracks on Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula. Now, as repairs continue to progress, our focus is shifting from recovery to resilience. The Trust is leading the recovery effort and will distribute donations to local community groups and organisations completing restoration work across the Peninsula. These include:
We welcome gifts of all sizes to support the recovery and resilience of your favourite walking, running, and biking trails.
Your support will help:
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Repair damaged walking and cycling routes
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Restore timely and safe public access to the track network
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Continue critical conservation and maintenance work
Donations are collected through Kura Tāwhiti Foundation's platform on behalf of these organisations, making it easy to give in one place while ensuring funds are distributed quickly and efficiently. Using the Foundation's existing charitable infrastructure and network allows us to streamline administration, coordinate fundraising efforts and maximise the impact of your gift.
We're also working alongside these groups to amplify their reach by providing promotional and fundraising assistance to help drive recovery. We take a small fee for administration from each donation to cover these services.
Damage Scope
Slips and rain damage in February forced the closure of key sections of the Rod Donald Trust and Te Ahu Pātiki track networks, including Faulkner and Monument South, for an extended period. There has also been severe damage to tracks at Living Springs, Orton Bradley Park, Summit Road Society reserves and at Tūpari Reserve.
As a result, popular routes connecting Packhorse Hut, Gebbies Pass, and Rod Donald Hut are still inaccessible from several entry points, severely limiting walking, running and biking in the area. Some slopes and streams have been stripped back to volcanic bedrock, and natural regeneration will take time. Access for pest control and other biodiversity work has also been impacted, with serious implications for local wildlife if delayed further.
You can support this mahi by making a donation via direct credit or credit card through our secure third-party platform. If you prefer, you’re also welcome to donate by bank transfer. Our account number is 01-0815-0133170-00.
When making a transfer, please use the reference Storm Rep Feb26.
Please include your name and email accounts@kuratawhiticcf.org.nz so that we can issue you with a tax receipt. Details of your donation (name and amount) will be shared with Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust unless you request otherwise.
Kura Tāwhiti - Canterbury Community Foundation and Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust share a commitment to caring for our place and planet. Both organisations are registered charities.
For general enquiries, please contact:
lynne.umbers@kuratawhiticcf.org.nz
