Kaikoura Wilderness Walks
March Newsletter
Hot off the press!
Kaikoura Wilderness Walks achieves Qualmark Enviro Gold Award



KAIKOURA WILDERNESS WALKS
February Newsletter
Check out North & South February 2010 -
Extract from "Recommended .... Pavlova Paradise

There's a lot to celebrate about living in Godzone, reckons Christchurch media man Kip Brook, whose PR company Word of Mouth has launced its annual Travel Awards.  Here are some of our favourite picks:

BEST HILL TRAMP
Kaikoura Wilderness Walks
A glorious six-hour walk from the valley floor at the foot of the Puhi Peaks to Shearwater Lodge through beech, totara and podocarp forests up into the snowy alpine meadows with wild deer."

Kaikoura Star Article - February 2010
'Kaikoura Wilderness Walks a Winner'
http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/kaikoura/3266083/Wilderness-Walks-a-winner>
to read this very special article about our company.

KAIKOURA WILDERNESS WALKS

August Newsletter

 After an extraordinary first season under the management and direction of Nicky McArthur, Kaikoura Wilderness Experience Ltd (KWE) has made huge strides to make Kaikoura Wilderness Walks (KWW) the premier private guided walk of choice in New Zealand for international visitors and Kiwis alike. The season was extended through to Easter and then opened in May for an energetic corporate group from the North Island who came to see what a ‘wilderness experience’ was all about.

Improvements

Nicky and her staff have taken a little time out after the end of season to reflect and regroup. However, with improvements in all areas under review no sooner had they drawn breath than work was underway on several projects including an upgrade of the guest rooms. Refurbishment continues.

 Collateral

One huge project this year has been KWWs’ new collateral which was launched in time for TRENZ, New Zealand’s tourism Expo held at Auckland in June. Working on a new logo and collateral has produced a new-look brochure, wholesale kit, slide show and CD of images. It has a totally fresh and inspiring feel on what we have to offer.  Down load our new brochure off the website.

 Happy Hour

Nicky thanked her staff and members of the Kaikoura community for their support during her first season at a celebration at the Pier Hotel in Kaikoura. The event was a huge success and the attendance, not only the locals, but those friends and family who have been stalwart in their support and effort and who travelled from far afield, lay testimony to Nicky’s drive, enthusiasm and commitment to KKW.

'Other Stuff'

Hutton’s Shearwaters

Protection of the endangered Hutton’s shearwater has been high on the agenda for Nicky. KWE owns the land on which one of the two mountain nesting sites of the Hutton’s Shearwater exists. This year, KWE’s team has worked with the Department of Conservation (DOC) to monitor the nesting site. In particular, focus has been on stoat control which at 6,500ft has proved a mammoth task involving a local helicopter company and volunteer staff. Funding has been secured from several organisations. Alongside this, KWE is monitoring and culling deer in the Puhi Peaks Reserve.

The Hutton’s Shearwater Trust (HST) was also established earlier this year to: ‘encourage and promote the preservation, conservation, research, public education, and sustainable management of the Hutton’s shearwater’. The focus this year was to raise $200,000 to erect a predator proof fence around the newly established site on the Kaikoura peninsula. This was achieved by June. The trust hopes that all funds raised and projects completed will ensure the long-term survival of an endangered species in which numbers appear to be dropping dramatically.

Nicky is not only on the committee of the HST but is also the convenor of the Friends of the Hutton’s Shearwater which was launched on 15 August at a Champagne Breakfast in Kaikoura. The aim of the Trust is to disseminate information of the activities of the Charitable Trust through newsletters and events.

Continuing her work with the shearwaters Nicky is also a member of Hutton’s Shearwater Recovery Group which is principally a DOC initiative to bring together scientists to support and bring knowledge to the Charitable Trust.

Local Community Involvement

On a personal note, Nicky is pursuing her other passion whilst working at the lodge. She is working towards an art degree as an extramural student at the Learning Connexion in Wellington.  This year alone she has produced two bodies of work for local exhibitions.

 ‘Art in the Dark’ which was held in January resulted in a sale of a multi-media work called  ‘Kaikoura Land Forms’ which now hangs in the Kaikoura Medical Centre.

In June, Kaikoura Winery hosted ECO Art. This was a community project not only for creative members of the community but also to bring public awareness of social issues in Kaikoura, particularly around waste, recycling, reusing and conservation.

All Nicky’s eight pieces were Kaikoura inspired and used mainly recycled and reused materials. These were aptly entitled:  

‘Kaikoura - Green Globe Community – the importance of loving your world and looking after it’. Two works – ‘Love Your Earth’ and ‘Love Your Ocean’.

‘Kaikoura – Too Good To Waste’. Based on a theme from the rubbish dump. Four works - ‘Revelation – Window on Waste’, ‘Caged Consumerism’, ‘Eco Christmas’ and ‘Environmental Enigma’.

‘Kaikoura – Conservation’ – ‘See Life 1 & 2’, a view of our local birds and mammals. Several works have since been sold.

As well as participating in ECO Art Nicky was invited to judge ‘Eco-Bags’ - art work created from miscellaneous items from the local recycling plant. She participated in the opening of the exhibition and spent a day helping out and talking to the general public.

Nicky is currently working on another project for her first solo exhibition which opens in September.

Nicky’s commitment to initiatives in Kaikoura and the Canterbury Region has seen her support the Christchurch Arts Festival. This year KWE donated six, three-day walks worth $6,000 for auction at one a fundraising initiative.  The lucky winner will be sharing the walk with friends in December.

The New Season

September 30 sees the start of a new season. New walking days have been established.  The 2 day walk is Wednesday and Thursday and the 3 day walk Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

August 2009