CAMPING THE KIWI WAY

Above image: Kārearea / NZ Falcon chick with down feathers, DOC

Clean your gear

DOC call to help prevent the spread of invasive algae to lakes and rivers.

People heading into Nelson Lakes National Park this summer are being asked to clean their gear at new cleaning stations to prevent invasive algae being spread to the park’s pristine alpine lakes and rivers. ckw.nz/invasive

Works underway to reopen Morere Hot Pools

Reopening Morere Hot Pools (Hawke’s Bay) has begun on major remedial and infrastructure works at the pools. They hope to open in April or May 2024. ckw.nz/morere

More than 10,000 wild goats removed in anational competition

DOC, the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association and Hunting & Fishing NZ are thrilled by strong support for the National Wild Goat Hunting Competition. ckw.nz/goats | Image: George Ledgard, DOC

Nature as therapy is the focus of a new guide

A new free guide to help improve well-being by connecting with nature for therapy is available in Tairāwhiti, Gisborne.

Ways to Wellness Tairāwhiti: He Te Ara Taiao ki te Ora Tairawhiti was originally developed using the ‘Healthy Nature Healthy People’ programme, which ran until 2021, encouraging us to connect with nature to improve their health and wellbeing. ckw.nz/nature-therapy |

DOC report shows short adventures trending for travellers

Short walks and leisurely activities like sightseeing, photography, and bird and wildlife watching were the most popular outdoor activities for kiwi and international visitors, according to DOC’s annual visitor in. sights report.

“It is really encouraging to see people are still finding creative ways to enjoy nature, by switching to different areas and exploring different activities such as short walks and cultural heritage sites.” ckw.nz/most-popular

Ōparara Basin waharoa unveiled

A waharoa (gateway) marking the entry to a viewpoint of the Ōparara Basin north of Karamea was unveiled in November ‘23 signalling the completion of a major upgrade to visitor facilities.

Ōparara, in Kahurangi National Park, is known for its spectacular limestone formations, including incredible arches and the Honeycomb Caves. A summer to remember p15.

The new viewpoint provides a spectacular view of the basin and includes interpretation for visitors such as a stone diorama explaining the geological formation of the area. ckw.nz/unveiled

A sea lion/pakake mum swam 60 kilometres inland

Unusually, a sea lion/pakake mum swam 60 km inland to find her preferred spot to give birth. People are reminded to keep their distance from all marine mammals. ckw.nz/sea-lion

Checking a week-old Albatross chick, Tairoa Heads

Rangers doing their daily check of the week-old nestling at the Royal Cam nesting site. The chick is at a good and healthy weight! 1/2/24.ckw.nz/albatross-cam