Staglands Wildlife Reserve & Cafe

Akatarawa Valley, Upper Hutt - NZ

This project involved a comprehensive upgrade to the main guest entrance and café facilities at the iconic Staglands Wildlife Reserve in Upper Hutt. The brief focused on increasing visitor capacity, improving arrival and circulation flow, and introducing a new gift shop and café spaces with the flexibility to accommodate large groups and functions.

Staglands’ owners, Sarah and John, have personally designed and overseen major construction projects throughout the park’s 50‑year history. However, recognising the scale and complexity of this redevelopment, they engaged Inside Design to support the delivery of the upgrade.

The project evolved through a deeply collaborative design process between Inside Design and Sarah and John, and later with Peryer Construction as main contractor. A key driver throughout was ensuring the new facilities remained authentic to the Staglands ethos—grounded, natural, and welcoming—while significantly enhancing the visitor experience.

The completed upgrade delivers a contemporary yet sympathetic arrival experience that improves functionality, supports growing visitor numbers, and positions Staglands to continue welcoming generations of families and visitors well into the future.