It covers 16,745-hectares in two distinct zones at the northern tip of Coromandel Peninsula.   

A 7107-hectare public conservation block is centred on Moehau, a 700-metre high mountain at the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula.

The remaining hectares are on private land, thanks to the co-operation and good will of the community.

Three community programmes are involved.  Project Kiwi manages land at Kuaotunu Peninsula and is supported by the local community, iwi, landowners and Landcare groups.   A second group, the Moehau Environment Group, protect 7900-hectares immediately to the south of the DOC-managed land.   And a third group, the Harautanga Kiwi Project is now managing approximately 5000 hectares, at the southern border of the Moehau Environment Group’s kiwi zone.

The sanctuary's location at the northern tip of the Coromandel Peninsula means that stoats, the main threat to young kiwi, can only invade from the south, and have to get through a six-kilometre trapping cordon first.  

The objective is to have at least 200 breeding pairs of kiwi at Moehau by 2010, and for at least 50 per cent of chicks to survive.  (If at least 20 per cent survive to adulthood then the kiwi population will increase.)

The combined DOC and community efforts at Moehau means the area consistently achieves one of the highest kiwi chick survival rates in New Zealand.  In fact, the survival rate at Moehau has been the highest of any kiwi protection project in New Zealand, with an average of 77 per cent recorded in the last four breeding seasons.