Health and Safety Guidelines

The QIKT Community has identified the following hazards and suggested management strategies for the safety of all visitors to Quarantine Island.

Island Hazards

  • Terrain & Footwear: Tracks are uneven, narrow, steep, and can be slippery or muddy. Wear appropriate closed-toe footwear with good grip. Moderate fitness is required.

  • Cliffs & Slopes: Steep or unstable cliffs and slopes line the coast. Do not approach them for your safety and to avoid disturbing nesting birds (such as shags).

  • Out of Bounds Areas: Stay out of private and restricted zones, including the Keeper’s cottage, sheds, and the area behind (east side) of the Lodge (building/other waste and cliffs).

  • Shipwrecks: The fragile wrecks of the Waikana (steel) and Oreti (wood) are unsafe and strictly out of bounds. Do not climb, kayak, or swim around/over them.

  • Water & Shorelines: Rocky shores feature sharp rocks, barnacles, and slippery surfaces, with shallow water that is often opaque. Tidal currents affect swimming off the jetty.

  • Farm & Work Hazards: The island has farm-like hazards, including electric fences (usually off). Leave all gates as you find them. Building work and repairs are ongoing—exercise caution and stay off scaffolding.

  • Ground Debris: Sharp broken glass and pottery occasionally surface through soil and sand. Please pick up any hazardous objects and dispose of them safely.

  • Pest Control: There may be marked secure bait stations or traps around buildings or near tracks. Do not handle or eat.

Safety & Supervision

  • Illness: Please stay away from the island if you are feeling unwell.

  • Lodge Access: Do not enter the Lodge unless invited by the Keeper or part of a group with an overnight booking.

  • Water Safety & Equipment: Wear a suitable life jacket for all boating/kayaking. If using Community equipment, ask the Keeper first, who will supply life jackets.

  • Swimming Areas: Swimming off the jetty requires adult supervision due to currents. Waikana Bay, Big Bay, and Dougall Bay beaches are safer options for swimming and paddling (adult supervision recommended). Watch for sharp objects.

  • Child Supervision: An adult must supervise children at all times in the play area (which is not certified to Playground Safety Standards) and near the water.

General Rules & Island Policy

  • Conservation Area: No dogs are allowed. Do not light outdoor fires or BBQs.

  • Smoking & Vaping: Smoking and vaping are only permitted at the far end of the jetty. No vaping is allowed inside buildings. Dispose of matches and cigarette ends in the designated metal ash bin. Keep lighters and matches secure.

  • Buildings & Chapel: Candles are prohibited inside buildings, except in the Chapel, where they must be used respectfully, in moderation, and extinguished before leaving.

  • Alcohol: The Community does not encourage excessive consumption of alcohol.

Emergency Information

  • First Aid & AED:

    • First aid kit: Beside the toilets in the Lodge (see photo).

    • Larger first aid kit: Located in the Keeper’s Cottage.

    • Automated External Defibrillator (AED): Fixed to the wall of the Keeper’s Cottage at the top of the steps leading up from the wharf/jetty gateway (see photo).

  • Fire & Emergency Procedures

    • Follow posted emergency exit instructions in the Lodge. Keep marked fire exits clear of bags or mattresses.

    • Interlinked alarms sound in all buildings > exit immediately if they sound.

    • In case of fire, locate the nearest fire extinguisher - refer to the floor plan in the kitchen - near the toilets (see photo).

    • Accidents and First aid use must be entered in the register (in the Keepers cottage).

    • Volunteers will be trained for the requirements of the tasks they undertake.

Download the lodge fire evacuation plan here.

This evacuation floor plan is up on the wall in the Lodge, in the kitchen, and also in the Lodge Guest Information folder along with the Health & Safety guidelines. The guidelines are also up at the gateway, the Lodge boot room and in the Married Quarters.

Emergency Contacts

  • Emergency Services (Coastguard / Ambulance / Fire / Helicopter): Dial 111 (or call 105 for non-emergencies)

  • Portobello Police: 03 478 0209

  • Port Chalmers Police: 04 910 5105

  • Keeper / Resident Manager (Jesse Siebler): 022 066 6747

View our Current Health & Safety Management Policy (Updated 21/06/2026)