The Heaphy Track passes through diverse landscapes, from beautiful beech forest to expansive tussock grasslands, to lush forests, nikau palms and roaring seas.
It’s a tough ride, and not to be underestimated. It requires advanced mountain biking skills, being ranked Grade 4 rising to Grade 5/expert in wet or otherwise difficult riding conditions.
It takes 2 – 3 days to ride (4 – 6 days to walk) depending on fitness, skills and conditions.
This fluffy thing, with the big, black and beautiful puppy dog eyes, is a one month old Westland black petrel chick in its burrow just south of Punakaiki.
Petrel chick cuteness. Photo: Bruce Stuart-Menteath | Paparoa Nature Tours
The chick’s parents still come in for feeding time in the evenings by doing an “elegant” crash landing in the canopy. They then drop to the ground, looking slightly disorientated for a few minutes, before regaining composure and waddling off to their burrow to have a noisy and somewhat reproachful chat with their partner. A bit like: “Did you actually forget to bring the Hoki? Do I now have to fly ALL THE WAY back to Hokitika to get one!”
Adult black petrel out at sea. Photo: Arthur Chapman
In the morning mum and/or dad petrel will have to jump off the cliff to get airborne as their legs are too short to get them going on even ground. And off to another day at sea. Isn’t it amazing what these guys take on to raise their chick?
But let’s be honest – who wouldn’t, looking at a fluffy thing like that?
Hundreds flocked to Wellington’s Waitangi Park last month for the first annual Pest-Fest. It was a great display of various conservation partnerships in the Wellington area coming together for a common cause—educating the public on pests in New Zealand.
Meeting a Wellington gecko at Pest-Fest
The event included a range of activities for the public, such as weed swapping, animal pest trapping demonstrations, kids’ crafts, information on current conservation research, tracking tunnel tutorials, kiwi conservation tips, advice on how to design bird-friendly gardens and much more.
Ranger Lisa Calpcott setting a trap
Despite being the first Pest-Fest ever held in Wellington, a wide range of organisations attended, including the Department of Conservation, Wellington City Council, Victoria University of Wellington, Zealandia, Forest and Bird, WWF and many others. It was a fantastic example of organisations coming together for conservation.
Pest-Fest was a fun way to learn about New Zealand pests. There were a lot of hands-on activities and demonstrations that really highlighted the teamwork between the various local agencies. The event ran alongside the Wellington Phoenix Community Day and the Farmer’s Market, which attracted a diverse audience.
Rimu the kiwi and his friend inspect a trap
It was great to see all the different organisations in one place complementing each other and it was great to be engaging with the community on such an important conservation issue and teaching people how to monitor pests in their own backyard.
Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown learns more about the Wellington gecko
Come behind the scenes and into the jobs, the challenges, the highlights, and the personalities of the people who work at the Department of Conservation (DOC).
Today we profile Wendy Challis, National Visitor Centre Manager in Wellington.
At work
Some things I do in my job include… keeping things humming behind the scenes with the multiple admin tasks required for point of sales, the booking system, and financial processes. I select the retail items and work with staff to create an attractive retail space with a wide choice of souvenir items, reflecting our flora and fauna. I also assist staff with the processing of information to ensure that it’s current and accurate. Fortunately I still get opportunities to serve at the counter and connect with our visitors – a task I still enjoy immensely.
National Visitor Centre staff. Don Nerron, Mike Priest, myself, Rachel Skudder and Jesse Butler
This helps achieve DOC’s vision by… presenting a professional, knowledgeable, and friendly face of DOC, and gathering much needed revenue to enhance conservation.
The best bit about my job is… having many laughs with my awesome staff! Being centrally located, the questions we are asked are broad so we all get to participate in trips to areas where there is a high level of interest. I was fortunate to travel through Molesworth Station, hosted by Nelson Marlborough team, and this year cycled the stunning new Timber Trail in Pureora and attended the official opening.
The strangest DOC moment I’ve had so far is… a young American visitor asked us how to reach the south coast of Wellington as he wanted to swim across Cook Strait. “It’s only 18 kilometres and I have an inflatable dinghy in my pack,” he said (which he did). After advising him of the multiple hazards he would encounter in the strait, we suggested he chat further with the harbour police, phoning them ourselves after he left. Following up the next day, we heard that they had personally made sure he caught the ferry and said had he not gone, they would have locked him up for the night!
The Maramataha suspension bridge on the Pureora Timber Trail
The DOC (or previous DOC) employee that inspires or enthuses me most is… let’s make that plural and acknowledge the amazing work done by our visitor centres nationwide. From managers to summer casuals, our highly skilled and motivated staff work hard to maintain the expected high standard of customer service, keeping abreast with changes and new information, and dealing with a broad cross section of nationalities and cultures. The feedback we receive in the National Visitor Centre about our network of centres is consistently positive and highly complimentary. Keep up the great work team!
On a personal note…
Most people don’t know that I… have always been a classical music fan. Having learnt piano for many years I decided in my forties to set some goals and sit my sixth and seventh grade Trinity exams. Surprisingly, I passed with merit, which proves it’s never too late to achieve goals in areas you are passionate about.
Molesworth Station with the team from Nelson Marlborough
The song that always cheers me up is… an oldie but a goodie. City of New Orleans has always lifted my spirits as too with many other lovers of train travel. Released in the seventies by Arlo Guthrie, the song has an appealing rhythmic pulse and great lyrics that take you along for the ride.
My best ever holiday was… cycling from Wellington to Coromandel along SH1 in the eighties on a 10 speed. No helmet, safety gear or lycra. Just a tent, change of clothing and a credit card.
The best piece of news I’ve heard lately is… how Wellingtonians rallied to offer people rides and comfort distressed strangers in the street after the recent earthquakes. We certainly know how to pay it forward in this “coolest little capital in the world”.
If I could be any New Zealand native species I’d be… I would love to be a kea primarily so I could build my habitat in the high mountainous regions and soar the valleys screeching at trampers below. The temptation however, would be irresistible to also take advantage of my recognised intelligence and protected status, and swoop down into the campgrounds, carparks and ski fields with my mates and have a bit of fun.
Historic mining site on the Denniston Plateau
Deep and meaningful…
My favourite quote is… “Definition of an optimist: someone who figures that taking a step backward after a step forward is not a disaster – it’s more like a cha cha.”
The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is… “Don’t raise your voice. Just improve your argument”. Many who work with me will agree this is appropriate for me!
In work and life I am motivated by… positive, loyal, fun loving team players who value a high work ethic, and show friendship and mutual respect.
My conservation advice to New Zealanders is… spotted in a DOC brochure, an excellent concise message… tiakina, hakinakinatia, whakauru – protect, enjoy, be involved.
Historical information on the Denniston Plateau
Question of the week…
You have won a gift voucher to travel in time for a day, “when and where” would you go?
Last month I visited the Denniston plateau, and was impressed with the restoration and preservation of the remnants of the original coal mining camp that was operational in the 1880s. Having enjoyed Jenny Pattricks book The Denniston Rose, I would love to have been Rose for the day and wandered around the camp watching the full coal wagons at the brakehead being hitched for the dramatic descent down the 1700 ft incline.
By Claudia Babirat, Community Outreach Coordinator, Otago
I have just been reminded of how proud I am to work for DOC—and in conservation.
That’s because I had the unique opportunity to travel the length of the country to film a variety of community conservation projects. My travels took me to almost every region in New Zealand.
Setting up shots in the sunny Bay of Islands
Not only was I inspired by the conservation projects I filmed, but I also met an incredibly diverse bunch of amazing New Zealanders—DOC staff, business people, young ambassadors, tireless volunteers, community leaders, philanthropists, conservation-minded farmers and forestry workers, and a variety of passionate organisational partners.
These people shared their working life with me, and some also welcomed me into their homes—people like Gareth and Jo Morgan (thanks for the scooter ride, Jo), Guy Trainor from Kaiteriteri MTB park who tested my skills on the Corkscrew, the lovely Kate Akers of Landcare Trust (you are wunderbar), the tireless Fleur Corbett and Helen Ough Dealy from DOC in the Bay of Islands, and my good friend Ruth Barton in Auckland.
The video features interviews with a range of different groups and individuals, like farmer Dan Steele
The video showcases DOC’s vision for the future—more people involved in community-owned conservation projects.
This is a run-down of the inspirational projects I filmed:
Dulux has just announced a new three-year partnership with DOC—you may have seen the TV advert. In short, Dulux is supplying DOC with paint to spruce up huts and other structures around the country. I interviewed Murray Gray, Dulux’s trade store General Manager. He’s a down-to-earth guy—loves the backcountry and hunting, and helped paint Tarn Ridge Hut that features in the ad.
Just after lunch I filmed Wayne O’Donnell of Greater Wellington Regional Council. Wayne is part of Nature Central, a partnership between three regional councils and DOC, who aim to work together to make better use of resources, and work on joint projects including education and training initiatives.
16-year-old Natasha Bishop is the talented young woman behind the simple yet very effective animated video ‘Arboraceous’, which won the Outlook for Someday 2012 competition.
Devon McLean (Chairperson of Project Crimson, and now Manager of Project Janszoon), and Wildlife Manager Pete Gaze were my hosts at Anchorage in Abel Tasman Park. Conservation in the park has been boosted by a $25 million project (over 30 years) launched by a Kiwi family who wish to remain anonymous (‘Janszoon’ was Abel Tasman’s middle name—not the name of the family).
On Sunday morning I filmed a working bee organized by Kaiteriteri MTB park Project Leader Guy Trainor. The group has built over 20 km of tracks in the back of popular holiday town Kaiteriteri, all through volunteer labour. Guy’s passion for the project is infectious.
Kaimai Catchment Forum members on the summit of Mt Te Aroha after a day of filming
In Tauranga I filmed a field trip organised by the formidable Kate Akers of NZ Landcare Trust. The bus trip consisted of a diverse group of people that make up the Kaimai Catchment Forum (including regional and district council members, Federated Farmers and kiwi fruit orchardists, iwi, conservation trust leaders, Forest and Bird reps, DOC and others). The day was all about sharing with others in situabout how each stakeholder aims to help protect and restore the Kaimai Catchment.
Project Island Song aims to strengthen the dawn chorus in the Bay of Islands, through rigorous restoration and predator control. At the heart of this project is a tremendous bunch of people. I spent a morning filming at Te Rawhiti marae, at the nearby wetlands with John Booth, and a whole day on Urupukapuka Island with volunteers. I was immensely inspired by DOC Community Relations Ranger Fleur Corbett, who spends a lot of her spare time (i.e. evenings and weekends) working on the project.
Claudia filming the Higginson whānau, who volunteer with Project Island Song
In the morning I joined a group of young Aucklanders and international tourists who were busy tending to young plants at the Mt Eden native plant nursery. Through their partnership with Auckland Regional Council, Conservation Volunteers NZ provides opportunities for urbanites and visitors to help look after regional parks, and have fun with like-minded people at the same time.
In the afternoon I met 15-year-old Nadine Tupp of Warkworth. Nadine recently took part in a MAD Marine course, which inspired her to take action. She now writes a blog that highlights some of the threats faced by our beautiful seas, and actions that everyday people can take to minimise these. Thanks to Helen Rowlands and Trish Irvine who made this all come together on very short notice.
Conservation Volunteers NZ wants everyone to get involved!
The above stories will sit alongside others that I’ve already filmed in Otago and Southland—including Orokonui Ecosanctuary, Mitre 10 Takahe Rescue, and the St Clair prion fence in Dunedin.
Thanks so much to the DOC Community Outreach Coordinator network who made me aware of all these amazing projects in the first place—and Siobhan File my partner in crime.
Watch the ‘Conservation partnerships in action’ video:
