As winter settles over Wānaka, the colder temperatures, frosts and seasonal rainfall bring both challenges and opportunities for restoration work at Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs.

While growth slows across much of the reserve during the colder months, winter is an important time for monitoring water quality, managing weeds, and preparing for the next planting season. The slower-growing conditions also allow our contractors and volunteers to focus on maintenance work that helps protect the thousands of native plants already established throughout the wetland.

A significant development this year has been the completion of the Alpha Series stormwater drain project. Designed to better manage urban runoff before it reaches Bullock Creek, the system represents an important step in reducing the impacts of sediment and contaminants entering the waterway from surrounding residential areas.

Healthy waterways require action both within and beyond the reserve boundaries. While restoration planting, predator control and weed management remain vital, improving how stormwater is managed upstream is equally important for the long-term health of the creek.

The Friends of Bullock Creek Trust is encouraged by the collaboration between QLDC, contractors, local residents and community groups that has made this project possible. We remain hopeful that the combination of improved stormwater treatment, ongoing restoration efforts and continued community support will help ensure Bullock Creek remains a thriving habitat for native wildlife and a treasured place for future generations.

As always, we'll continue monitoring outcomes and advocating for measures that support cleaner water and healthier ecosystems throughout the catchment.

Over two fantastic sessions, Friends of Bullock Creek teamed up with Southern Lakes Sanctuary to take part in the nationwide New Zealand Garden Bird Survey. Community members of all ages joined us at Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs to spend an hour identifying and counting the birds that call the reserve home.

The survey is one of New Zealand's largest citizen science projects, helping researchers monitor the health of both native and introduced bird populations over time. Every count submitted contributes valuable information that guides future conservation and restoration efforts across the country.

A huge thank you to everyone who came along, as well as our friends at Southern Lakes Sanctuary for sharing their expertise and enthusiasm. Events like these are a wonderful reminder that conservation starts with simply taking the time to notice the wildlife around us.

We look forward to making the Backyard Bird Count an annual community event and seeing how Bullock Creek's feathered residents change over the years.

Paul van Klink leading our first session for the NZ Garden Bird Count at Bullock Creek

A major boost to restoration efforts has arrived at Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs, with Friends of Bullock Creek's new tracked chipper now fully operational.

Since arriving on site, the machine has already logged more than 10 hours of use, helping process vegetation quickly and efficiently. An hour meter has also been installed to help track usage and maintenance requirements.

The chipper is already proving its value. Vegetation that previously required significant manual handling can now be processed on site, reducing workload for volunteers and contractors while allowing restoration work to progress more efficiently.

Alongside ongoing weed control and planting efforts, predator monitoring continues with traps checked monthly, while rabbit control remains a focus along site boundaries. Additional rabbit-proof fencing is being considered where rabbits are moving between neighbouring properties and restoration areas.

Looking ahead, we are also exploring the possibility of installing a small solar power system on the Friends of Bullock Creek hut. Such a system could provide renewable power for charging tool batteries and boiling the jug during volunteer sessions, helping support day-to-day operations while reducing reliance on external power sources.

Every improvement to our equipment and infrastructure helps us restore Bullock Creek more effectively and build a healthier wetland for future generations.

While planting activity has been slower than usual so far this season, there is plenty happening behind the scenes at Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs.

To date, around 150 native plants have been established on site, with more than 600 additional plants currently growing in our nursery awaiting suitable planting conditions.

Many of these young plants are still small and require additional time to develop before being planted out. Some will go into the ground over the coming months, while others will be held over through summer and planted during 2026 and 2027.

We are also awaiting confirmation from Otago Fish & Game regarding additional native plants being propagated through the Department of Corrections nursery programme at Milton.

Our goal remains ambitious: to establish around 1,000 native plants this season. Every new planting contributes to improving habitat for birds, insects and other native wildlife while strengthening the long-term resilience of the wetland ecosystem.

As always, we are grateful to our volunteers and supporters who help make this restoration work possible.

As winter approaches, Friends of Bullock Creek is making the most of the remaining autumn growing season by tackling some of the site's most persistent weeds.

Throughout May, our focus has been on "cut and paste" weed control, targeting invasive species before we pause herbicide use over the colder months. Winter provides an opportunity to shift our efforts towards manual control methods, including cutting cotoneaster and mulching key areas in preparation for future planting.

Ivy remains a significant challenge across parts of the site. Over the coming months, volunteers and contractors will continue removing infestations and covering affected areas with black polythene to suppress regrowth and reduce the spread of this invasive species.

While weed control is often less visible than planting, it is one of the most important aspects of ecological restoration. Every cotoneaster removed and every patch of ivy controlled creates more space for native species to thrive.

The work we do this winter will help prepare the site for another busy planting season ahead.

Help Count Bullock Creek's Backyard Birds

Friends of Bullock Creek in collaboration with Southern Lakes Sanctuary is inviting the Wānaka community to take part in a bird watch and bird count at Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs this winter.

After more than 10 years of wetland restoration and native planting, FOBC is keen to learn more about how native and introduced birds are using the site. Community members can help identify and record bird species while enjoying one of Wānaka's unique natural spaces.

The bird counts will be held on Tuesday 30 June and Sunday 5 July, from 12 noon to 1pm, at Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs, 107 Stone Street.

Participants will learn simple bird identification techniques from experienced guides, contribute to local conservation efforts, and enjoy a free mug of hot soup afterwards.

No birdwatching experience is required, and beginners are warmly welcome. Even 30 minutes of participation can provide valuable information.

Please bring warm clothing, sturdy footwear, and binoculars if you have them.

Registration is essential, as numbers are limited for each session. To secure your place, please email admin@fobc.kiwi.

Come along, meet fellow nature enthusiasts, and help build a picture of the birdlife returning to Bullock Creek.

It was an exciting start for the team at Friends of Bullock Creek this week as our new tracked chipper was officially put through its paces for the first time.

Purchased with generous funding support from the Lions Foundation & Bullock Bar Wanaka, the chipper is already proving to be a valuable addition to our restoration toolkit. The distributor travelled down from Tauranga to provide the team with an overview and operational briefing before the machine was fired up on site.

Following the induction, Paul and Ed took the chipper up along the boardwalk where they spent the next hour processing cut debris. The machine performed exceptionally well, handling material efficiently and navigating the site with ease.

This new asset will significantly improve our productivity, particularly when it comes to managing vegetation and cut debris across the wetland. It’s another important step forward in supporting ongoing restoration and maintenance work at Bullock Creek.

A huge thank you to the Lions Foundation & Bullock Bar for helping make this possible.

As winter approaches in Wānaka, Friends of Bullock Creek is beginning to adjust the pace and nature of on-site works to suit the changing conditions. While restoration efforts certainly aren’t stopping, colder temperatures, frosts and wetter ground mean volunteers and contractors need to be mindful about when and how work is carried out over the coming months.

The past season has seen continued progress around the creek, with planting, maintenance, weed control and habitat restoration all contributing to the long-term health of this important waterway. Winter remains an important time for monitoring and maintenance work, although activities will naturally become more weather-dependent.

FOBC would like to thank the many volunteers, supporters and community partners who continue to contribute their time and energy throughout the year. Regular volunteer afternoons will continue where conditions allow, with updates shared through FOBC communication channels.

Looking ahead, winter also provides an opportunity to plan and prepare for another productive spring season focused on protecting and enhancing Bullock Creek for future generations.

Friends of Bullock Creek (FOBC) warmly invites members, volunteers, and the wider community to attend our upcoming Annual General Meeting.

The AGM will be held on Thursday 28 May, from 5.30pm to 7.30pm at the Wānaka Community Hub.

This is a great opportunity to hear about the past year’s achievements, ongoing projects, and future plans for the protection and enhancement of Bullock Creek. Attendees will also have the chance to meet the team, connect with fellow supporters, and learn more about how to get involved.

We welcome anyone with an interest in our work to join us.

Date: Thursday 28 May
Time: 5.30pm – 7.30pm
Location: Wānaka Community Hub

We look forward to seeing you there.

Friends of Bullock Creek was pleased to receive funding through the 2025 Queenstown Airport ZQN Community Fund, delivered in partnership with 45South Community Foundation.

This funding was used to help purchase a trailer, which has become an essential tool in our ongoing restoration work along the Bullock Creek waterway. The trailer is regularly used to remove green waste generated through weed control and the removal of invasive species, significantly improving the efficiency of our on-the-ground efforts.

With restoration of the site now around 40% complete, this support has played a practical and important role in enabling continued progress and enhancing the local environment we care for.