Great Outdoors programme a great success

Greater Wellington Regional Council’s Great Outdoors programme was a huge success this year - drawing in over 10,000 attendees.

Greater Wellington ran 43 events across ten regional parks in nine weeks over the summer, with the programme wrapping up in March.

Wayne Boness, Greater Wellington Western Parks Principal Ranger says the Great Outdoors programme is a great way to get people to explore the regional parks.

Wayne says the Farm Day, run at Battle Hill Farm Forest Park, was the high-light event of the summer.

"This is the third year we have run the event and it's grown each year. We had 500 more people this year, with total of 3,500 attendees," he says. 

"The aim is to get kids and their families out into the countryside and show them what happens on a farm day-to-day."

The farm day offers sheep shearing and working dog trial demonstrations as well as cooking demonstrations.

"It also gives people the opportunity to have a swim, feed the eels, bring a picnic and ask questions about our parks.

"It's just a good day out in the country," Wayne says.

The events also included Queen Elizabeth Park's Jewels in the crown, Belmont Regional Park's Four-wheel-drive and sunset tour and a discovery race along the Hutt River Trail.

Greater Wellington Regional Council Parks Manager Amanda Cox says she is pleased with this summer's Great Outdoors events programme.

"I think the Greater Wellington team is always really proud to show off our parks and to have the opportunity to talk to our event participants about these special places, what's happening there and what we're trying to achieve.

"We really love seeing people having fun in the parks and learning about them too; it's great recognition of all the hard work that goes into looking after them."

Amanda says the programme is also a good chance to "demonstrate partnerships in action".

"Our team works with a range of volunteers, clubs, other councils, businesses and our mana whenua partners to plan and deliver the events so this is a good chance to recognise and celebrate the great work being done."

The parks manager says the events are a "taster" for more park visits.

"We hope to inspire and encourage people to come back, and feel confident to bring others with them too.

"The summer programme is our biggest chance to introduce residents and visitors to what we offer in the regional parks and other open spaces, why they are special and how much they add to life in the Wellington region."