The tiny South Westland settlement of Ōkārito sits on a lagoon which is one of New Zealand's most significant ecological treasures. It is the feeding ground of Kotuku the New Zealand white heron.
The remote community of Ōkārito on the South Island's West Coast, 30km north of Franz Josef, is home to just 30 people.
But this beautiful settlement situated in one of New Zealand's most significant ecosystems has a thriving campground, a restored community centre and attracts visitors from around the world.
For many years, it was also home to Booker Prize-winning author Keri Hulme.
"People live here by choice and the visitors who come here will often comment on the simplicity and the quintessentially Kiwi feel to the place."
"There's a few more houses here, but there's still no shop and no restaurant."
Ōkārito lagoon is New Zealand's largest, unmodified coastal wetland.
Annual gorse busting events where volunteers come from all over the country to help eradicate the shrub has seen the environment further flourish, Hughes says.
"It’s effectively predator-free, the bird life here has always been outstanding, but in recent years, with the huge conservation work that's been done, it's become, one of the most significant sites in the world for biodiversity."
The restored community hub, Donovan's Store, is the oldest known wooden building on the West Coast.
“It was restored by the community here and the Department of Conservation together. Again, it's the operations base during gorse busters, but we hold our town meetings in there.
“There's music every few weeks of the summer held in there, capacity 40 people, but wonderfully characterful, a real community asset. It ties us to our heritage going back generations here.”
It is worth a visit if you are ever in the area. Radio NZ recently published a report on the area.