As part of the New Zealand Mountain Film Festival, the Adventure Film School arm of the NZMFF came to the Bullock Creek wetlands this week for some filming fun! Our very own Paul van Klink was interviewed, as too were our friends at Te Kākano, Kris Vollebregt and Jose Cranfield from WAI Wānaka, talking about the start of the project, the vision and history of the site and FOBC, the community connections and collaborations, the restoration work and the future of the Bullock Creek wetlands restoration project.

The filming of this little bit about the wetlands and the importance of the site and what it means to Wānaka not only highlights the wetlands itself, and the collaborative mahi that goes on between local conservation and environmental organisations, but also provides the students involved with Adventure Film School a unique opportunity to learn all about the film making process with industry film professionals in an outdoor environment.

Not only are the Bullock Creek wetlands a site of environmental conservation but they also exist as a community and public space, as well as an important outdoor education space.

For more information about the New Zealand Mountain Film Festival and Adventure Film School check out the following links: https://mountainfilm.nz/adventure-film-school/ and https://mountainfilm.nz/

Thank you to Te Kākano, WAI Wānaka, NZMFF, Adventure Film School and all involved in the organisation and execution of this special filming day. We can’t wait to see the finished product!

This week marks National Volunteer Week from the 16th- 22nd June.

The theme this year is Whiria te tangata – weaving the people together. This couldn’t be more apt, as we recently hosted our friends Te Kākano who held a weaving workshop at the wetlands. Weaving is about more than the physical though, it is about the woven connections and collaborations and interactions and work between us all; it is that which brings us together for a common cause.

As a group based primarily on volunteer power, Friends of Bullock Creek, with our on-the-ground volunteers who turn up week in and week out in all-weather, to the folks who are passing through Wānaka and want to volunteer their time for the community, to our Board of Trustees who all act in a volunteer capacity in their governance and oversight of the ethos and vision of Friends to Bullock Creek Trust, to those semi-regular volunteers who live in Wānaka for periods of the year and come back again and again to put in the hard mahi. We couldn’t do the work we’ve been doing at the Bullock Creek wetlands for the past 9 years without volunteers. We see you and thank you.

As one of our volunteers Dave says, volunteering “…helps our community grow…”.

Thank you to all past and present and future volunteers, with us here at Bullock Creek, and more widely working within the Wānaka community. Here’s to you. 

FOBC have a very exciting announcement to make in the coming weeks. We’ll soon be taking delivery of a VERY SPECIAL ITEM. What could it be? We can tell you it is a form of transport, but will keep the big reveal hidden for now!

We’d love to hear what you think it may be…now taking your best guesses and ideas for what it is and what it will be used for…kudos for the most outlandish/funny/spot on guesses!

All will be revealed in good time…

TW: image of deceased animal

Have you ever wondered about the pest animals found at Bullock Creek wetlands? Well we can tell you that they exist, and have been systematically trapped since 2018. Introduced pests like hedgehogs, possums, rats and stoats have all been found and trapped at the wetlands.

Trapping is an important method of pest control. Why? Because pest animals contribute to the predation of native species of birds, lizards, amphibians and insects; they compete with native species for food sources; and destabilise delicate ecosystems that we all rely on.

Check out this information from Southern Lakes Sanctuabout predators and their environmental impact.

https://southernlakessanctuary.org.nz/the-sanctuary/predators/

For information about how to become involved in backyard trapping in the Wānaka area, contact Predator Free Wānaka at https://www.predatorfreewanaka.org/get-involved

And keep your eyes peeled here on our website and on our social media pages for more information and news about predator control at Bullock Creek wetlands in the upcoming months.

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/

Bullock Creek and the wetlands are a special place. Friends of Bullock Creek Trust, with our five Trustees, exists:

(a) To protect, restore and enhance the public amenity and the environment of Bullock Creek from head waters to its entry point into Lake Wānaka.

(b) To raise and manage funds to support object (a) above.

(c) To engage, inform and educate members of the public and residents of Wānaka as to the significance of Bullock Creek as a spring fed waterway, and how to manage and protect it

Along with the work our Trustees do, engaging in these important advocacy, oraganising, community engagement and managing roles behind-the-scenes, our works contractors Paul and Ed and our dedicated group of regular volunteers and other volunteers we welcome throughout the year, do the mahi of wetlands restoration and education with on-the-ground planting of native species, invasive species management, and pest control.

Combined, all of this work results in the continued restoration of Bullock Creek wetlands, for the benefit of locals and visitors, the creek itself and the ecosystems surrounding it, now and into the future.

If you love what we do and want to support us, consider making a donation. Check out the Support page for bank account details.

https://www.fobc.kiwi/support

Thank you for your support!

Making a donation by the entrance sign at Bullock Creek wetlands

Continuing our volunteer profile series, this week we feature Mary, a long time volunteer and Bullock Creek neighbour. Read on to learn more about Mary and her volunteering.

Mary enjoying a rest after an afternoon volunteer session

When did you start volunteering with FOBC?

I started volunteering for FOBC in 2017, supplying lunch on Saturdays for Corrections workers and also doing occasional work clearing under trees, cutting back blackberry overhanging the creek, clearing in the creek etc. I then began regular Thursday afternoon volunteering in 2023.

Why did you start?

I was helping my husband Roger, who was the voluntary Saturday Corrections Supervisor for several years. I met Paul van Klink (Fish & Game at that time), enjoyed his knowledge and enthusiasm and so became a regular volunteer post-Covid.

What keeps you coming back as a volunteer?

I keep returning as I enjoy the physical work, seeing the very evident results of our input and getting to know a like-minded, happy & positive group of people. The cup of tea and chat after work is great too!

Why is volunteering important to you?

Involvement engenders a sense of purpose, a strong sense of community and I enjoy meeting new people and interesting people passing through, including tourists.

What would you say to others about volunteering? 

Find something you enjoy doing, that can make a contribution to, and give it a go. It's very rewarding - and fun- weather permitting!!

Today we held our regular Thursday volunteer session. A small group of regular volunteers came along on this sunny, blue-sky Autumn day. We focused on mulching around some native plantings that had become overgrown with grass and other weeds. Without regular maintenance and management, it is easy for the native plants to become overwhelmed by voracious weeds, competing with the natives for precious light, nutrients and water.

That is why laying cardboard and spreading a thick layer of mulch over the top is important to help suppress the weeds and give our native plants every chance to grow and thrive. We even need to use the weedeater at times to more easily manage the grass before we can lay the cardboard and mulch.

Being outside on such a beautiful day, laughing and mucking around with our fellow volunteers, having a cuppa after the hard mahi and doing our bit for wetland regeneration is what it’s all about.

Have you seen the Easter Bunny? We have!!! If you go down to Bullock Creek, you may even see two…!

Happy Easter from all of us here at FOBC- we’re almost halfway through the year and powering through our work. We have been having plenty of visitors to the wetlands, including some preschool groups, as well as locals walking through the wetlands and plenty of visitors too.

Our volunteer session time has changed, to fit with the changing weather and hours of daylight. Currently Thursdays 2pm-4pm; meet at the corner of Stone St near the old hatchery site. All welcome!