On a fine summer’s day the route up to Mueller Hut is a fantastic way to experience New Zealand’s mountains without needing to be a mountaineer.
Continue Reading...Archives For 30/11/1999
Aussie import, Anita Tibbertsma, went to check out what all the fuss was about around the Abel Tasman National Park.
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As New Zealanders our natural environment is closely tied to our identity—it’s part of what makes us who we are. It’s no wonder then, that our natural environment serves as a muse for so many of our musicians and artists.
Today, as New Zealand Music Month draws to a close, we delight in this connection with a visual feast of album covers inspired by our natural environment.
The view is worth the climb – Tim Finn
Horizon – Henry Wong Doe
All Mountains are Men – Rosy Tin Teacaddy. The whole album was written and recorded in an isolated DOC cottage beside Lake Tarawera while the ’Caddies were on a Wild Creations artists’ residency.
Stories From Elsewhere – Rhian Sheehan
Atheum’s Way – Solstate
Fly My Pretties Live At Bats – Fly My Pretties
Fight from the Inside – Into the East. Artwork by Hanna Isaac.
Nature’s Best – Various Artists
Garden of Light – The Mantarays
Wai 100% – Various Artists
Some Were Meant For Sea – Tiny Ruins
The Return of Fly My Pretties – Fly My Pretties
Forest: Songs by Hirini Melborne – Dudley Benson. Applique artwork by Florence Dennison.
Home, Land and Sea – Trinity Roots
My Army of Birds and Gulls – Betchadupa
Deadly Summer Sway – The Checks
The Storm – New Zealand Guitar Quartet. Photography: Kapiti by Peter Leask.
Feel the Seasons Change: Live with the NZSO – Salmonella Dub. “A musical journey through Aotearoa landscapes.”
Haunts – Tiny Ruins
True – Trinity Roots
Tūī, Tui, Tuia EP – Dudley Benson
Fatcat and Fishface – Birdbrain
Twist – Dave Dobbyn
Higher Trails – John Hanlon
So many great album covers, so little bandwidth to transport them all to you…
Do you have a favourite New Zealand ‘inspired by nature’ album cover?
Today, I’m inviting you somewhere special. Not many people know about this place yet – you’re one of the first. The place is called Wildside and it’s a new social media community run by the Department of Conservation (DOC) on Facebook and Twitter.
With the tagline Aotearoa New Zealand. Live it. Love it. Look after it. Together. Wildside promises inspiring stories, images, videos and conversations about:
Living on the wildside – tramping, camping, biking, hunting…
Loving the wildside – our places, plants, animals, people…
Looking after the wildside – protecting, restoring… doing our bit.
And, importantly, Wildside is about doing it together.
We didn’t want another place on the web about ‘DOC the government department’. Wildside is for, and about, everyone.
Here at DOC we’re working towards making New Zealand the greatest living space on Earth – but this vision isn’t just ours, and we can’t do it alone. We want you to join the journey – and Wildside will be a great place to start. Will you join us?
Christmas camping at Totaranui just got a whole lot more fun with the arrival of Kiwi Ranger – just in time for the holidays!
Totaranui is a ‘Great Walks’ campground next to the clear waters and golden sands of Totaranui beach and estuary, in the wonderful Abel Tasman National Park.
It’s been a popular place for families for many years, with sites booked out every summer. People come here to relax on the beach, swim, kayak, fish or explore the nearby stands of native bush by walking one of the many tracks. Now its popularity is set to increase, as Kiwi Ranger is added to the mix of family-friendly fun activities on offer.
Kiwi Ranger is for kids of all ages – from 3 to 103! It’s a booklet of activities which you can choose from to do during your visit.
With Kiwi Ranger you can:
- Use all your senses on the Pukatea Walk,
- Walk barefoot between the tides and dig down to discover the colours and patterns of the mudflats,
- Explore rock pools shaped by wind and waves and discover what lives within,
- Keep a campsite journal,
- Collect a checklist of amazing nature experiences; watch a sunrise, be bitten by sandfly/namu, lie under a giant māmaku fern, or watch fluorescence where the waves break.
Totaranui Kiwi Ranger adds the fun factor!
Kiwi Ranger guides families to make the most of their visit, by taking it beyond a mere walk in the park, to an experience worth remembering and treasuring.
Becoming a Totaranui Kiwi ranger is easy. Pick up your booklet from the Totaranui camp office. Check out how many activities you should do depending on your age. Then when you are done, return your completed booklet to the campsite office to claim your badge!
Booklets and badges will be available next week – just in time for Christmas!
Kiwi Ranger is now live at ten sites around the South Island. To find out more go to doc.govt.nz/kiwirangeror kiwiranger.org.nz
Family fun in the lagoon while on holiday at Totaranui
