Secretary Island

Secretary Island is an island in southwestern New Zealand, located entirely within Fiordland National Park. Almost triangular, it sits between the Doubtful Sound to the south and the Thompson Sound to the north, with the west coast facing the Tasman Sea. To the east of the island, Pendulo Reach connects Thompson Sound with Doubtful Sound. With a steep slope, the entirely bush-clad island rises to a chain of several peaks more than 1000 meters high. The island also has three lakes. The largest, Clerk Lake, more than 600 meters long, is located below Mount Grono at an altitude of 550 meters.

The mostly sloping terrain is almost entirely covered by dense native beech-podocarp forest, consisting of plants such as mistletoe and mountain lance, which have been devastated elsewhere by foraging by marsupials. Its isolation and size make Secretary Island one of the most important islands in New Zealand for conservation efforts of vulnerable native species. The island was never inhabited by marsupials or rodents. By 2007 deer and stoat were also exterminated, making it the largest completely pest-free island in New Zealand.

Location: Fiordland coast at the entrance to Doubtful Sound