Since late last year, our friends at Te Kākano have been developing and running free workshops for the community, teaching folk how to weave a plant guard using harakeke.

The Interwoven Project teaches people how to respectfully harvest and work with harakeke (flax) according to tikanga, in making a beautiful plant guard for native plants. As Te Kākano say, the project is “…about weaving together people, culture and our environment”.

They have been incredibly popular around town, and a hot ticket to get your hands on.

We’re proud to be hosting Te Kākano for one of their Interwoven workshops at Bullock Creek wetlands on Thursday 22nd May from 12pm-2pm. Attendance is free but registration is required as there is a maximum of 20 participants for the workshop.

Head to the Te Kākano website for more information and to book your spot: https://tekakano.org.nz/

Today we want to recognise the importance of partnerships, collaborations and funders to the continued mahi of Friends of Bullock Creek. When organisations work together, resources, knowledge, skills and efficiencies can be shared, meaning more capability within the community for environmental, ecosystem and change and benefit for everyone.

 With the continued collaboration and partnership with key organisations like Te Kākano, WAI Wānaka, Otago Catchment Community Inc, Tiaki Bees, Wānaka Backyard Trapping, Otago Regional Council and Otago Fish & Game, we benefit from their resources and their own staff and volunteer bases, providing the land on which we undertake the restoration work, providing support and guidance, helping us to plant the native plants, and monitoring the creek and waterway health. Plus so much more.

And without funding from key funders like Otago Catchment Community Inc, Patagonia and Central Lakes Trust, the wetlands restoration work we do at Bullock Creek wouldn’t happen. Period.

And let’s not forget our wonderful volunteers, who we continue to uplift and celebrate, in being there week in, week out over the past 9 years, during the rain and the sunshine, doing the hard mahi of weeding, mulching, and planting (and everything in between) to help restore Bullock Creek wetlands and springs to the space we all enjoy now.

Thank you to everyone who makes, and has made, Bullock Creek what it is today.

Be sure to check out and support all these fabulous organisations- together, we all make a strong community, passionate about environmental and ecosystem health and wellbeing.

Our Bullock Creek Wetlands continue to see a diverse range of visitors who come to enjoy the benefits of the FOBC restoration programme.

In 2023, our unique urban wetland at the headwaters of Bullock Creek was an outdoor classroom for many of Wanaka pre-schools to introduce our youngest community members to nature.

With the Wetlands located right in town and within easy walking distance for many of the local pre-schools, Bullock Creek has proven to be an ideal venue for conducting education programmes like Educate for Nature (Te Kakano), Enviroschools (National Programme), and Wai Wanaka Education programmes.

Clemmie & Anna from Aspiring Beginnings ELC in Wanaka recently had their article about AB’s visits to Bullock Creek published in “The Space” magazine - [A Early Childhood Education publication]. Their article is very well written and worth a read. Their reflections about our Bullock Creek classroom and the interaction of AB tamariki with nature is delightful. Definitely worth a read!

NOTE: This article was first published in The Space Magazine issue 75. Reprinted with permission.

Budding environmentalists from nearby Little Wonders Oanaka Childcare at the Fish & Game Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs last week (Photo Roger Gardiner).

A group of 10 4 year pre-schoolers planted natives at the wetland as part of a nature discovery group. Assisting them is Andrew Penniket from Te Kākano Aotearoa Trust and Oanaka Childcare Supervisor, Katrina Heyneman. The Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs restoration began 2 years ago and over 1300 native plants have been planted by Te Kakano with help from their volunteers.

The children are standing on the recently completed 330 metre boardwalk which winds its way through the Fish & Game property. The Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs has been a cornerstone project for the Wanaka Residents Association (WRA) who fund-raised the $100,000 walkway project.

The official opening for the Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs has been postponed by the Otago Fish and Game Council due to issues associated with ongoing storm water run-off entering Bullock Creek from the neighbouring subdivision. The WRA have received widespread community support for steps to be taken to protect this outstanding natural spring creek. The WRA and Fish & Game and have been in dialogue with local authorities and have asked for comprehensive updates on the situation.

WRA President: Roger Gardiner 0211177220