Nature Babies

Elisabeth Easther takes her son Theo on some classic Kiwi adventures.

‘I love seeing Aotearoa through my son’s eyes, taking him to do things I loved when I was his age, as well as discovering new things with him. As fans of fresh air, wide-open spaces and wildlife, we do tend to gravitate towards activities that take us deep in to nature.’

GISBORNE RAIL BIKES

Picture a tandem side-by-side bicycle that’s engineered to ride old railway lines and you’ll have an idea of The Gisborne Railbike Adventure. Covering 90 kilometres of rural coastal tracks between Gisborne and Wairoa, the journey features jaw-dropping views across the Mahia Peninsula and we adored every second of our journey. The owners tell us they have longer term plans to extend all the way to Mahia and, when that happens, Theo and I will be back down like two shots to do it all over again.

Mahia Peninsula © Hawke’s Bay Tourism

REEF ECOLOGY TOURS

Fifteen kilometres from Gisborne on SH 35, you’ll find an incredible marine reserve where visitors can join reef ecology tours when the tide is low. Wearing the waders provided and using staffs for balance, you’ll be led out to the reef by knowledgeable guides to view enormous and elegant stingrays, schools of kingfish and so much more vibrant sea life. When Theo felt a tugging on his staff, he was delighted to find an octopus shimmying up it, presumably to get away from all the big fish that wanted to eat it. Educational and awe-inspiring, this is another thing we’d repeat if we ever had the chance.

WILD ABOUT DUNEDIN’S WILDLIFE

Dunedin blew our minds when we visited a year or so ago. Aside from the magical landscape, incredible views and numerous groovy things to do, our memories of the wildlife really stand out. We loved our visit to Orokonui Ecosanctuary, a 307 hectare pest-free forest abuzz with bird life including kiwi, takahē, kākā, bellbirds and tūī, as well as other native creatures like tuatara and skinks. We took a guided tour and saw and learnt much more than we would’ve on our own, but self-guided strolls are an option, too. The visitor centre is also an amazing facility; be sure to leave at least half a day to do this place justice. Currently it’s only open Saturday-Monday while the world sorts itself out and the café is closed for the foreseeable future, so pack a lunch as well as warm clothes, sensible shoes and binoculars if you’re especially ornithological. Another bird-lovers’ bonanza down this way, The Royal Albatross Centre on Taiaroa Head, has been described by Sir David Attenborough as a unique and special place. As the only mainland breeding colony of Northern Royal Albatross in the world, here you can get a close-up view of these majestic birds from specially constructed hides. And, if you stay till dusk, you can also add a little blue penguin tour to your itinerary. These creatures are adorable to watch as they waddle back to land after their busy days at sea. With an excellent café and visitor centre here too, you can make a full day of it.

Takahē, Orokonui Ecosanctuary © DunedinNZ