Mayor Island's accommodation is closed for the winter and will re-open labour weekend.

A scene of Mayor Island and an orange-fronted parakeet found there.

Landing on Tuhua is prohibited unless accompanied by an island kaitiaki.

It was a busy season, with visitors enjoying good weather in spite of the occasional storm, says Tuhua Trust Board spokesman Jason Ake.

'There's not a lot of action that takes place out there over the winter period,” says Jason, although the trust board will continue with some clean up work over winter.

'We've got a couple of working bees that we arrange with DOC primarily around the upkeep of the tracks and maintaining those for the next season, as well as taking a more focused look at some of the breeding programmes that they have got over there.”

Tuhua is being used as the breeding site for orange-fronted Kakariki, which are being returned to the North Island for the first time since the 1800s.

They are thriving on the island as is a native hibiscus that has been propagated and planted by Tuhua Trust Board kaitiaki over the summer.

A reported sighting of a rat on the island at the start of the season is considered a false alarm.

It triggered an intensive rodent monitoring and control regime which found no evidence of rat presence.

The trust board and DOC staff remain vigilant for any pest animals that could be transported to the island on boats and continue to encourage visitors and boaties to follow bio-security protocols and report sightings of any unwanted pests on the island.

The 2010/11 season is the third year of a business partnership between the Tuhua Trust Board and Department of Conservation that aims to encourage island visitors, while working to minimise risks to the island's pest-free status.

Tuhua is a privately owned island and the trust board asks visitors to respect it in the same manner as they would their own properties.

Things people must do before they leave to visit the island include:

• Clean boots and other clothing, checking for seeds in particular.
• Check and clean all food, especially any fruit and vegetables, looking for insects and seeds.
• Check all camping and other gear for seeds, insects, and rodents.
• Everything packed must be checked and sealed in rat-proof containers, or at least re-checked immediately before departing for the island.
• Those bringing their own boats should set up rat traps and bait stations on board, and check for stowaways.