Kia ora
Restoration Events coming up
On Nursery Volunteer day Friday 2nd October we will load up plants for Bushy Point planting which will be held on Sunday 4 October, details below
Bushy Point Planting Day 2026 - Sunday 4 October 2026
Meet Bryson Road 9.45 am for Parking and Briefing
Start Planting at 10am
Following the planting a BBQ will be held at Rances Education Centre from noon (walk through from Bushy Point, transport back to cars)
Bring your own spade, gloves, wet weather gear, snacks and drinks
Photos at https://www.otataralandcare.org.nz/news-events/bushy-point-planting-day-sunday-4-october-2026/
Details at this link https://www.sern.org.nz/events/sern-spring-field-trip-waikawa-valley-restoration/
The trip is free but bookings are essential.
Posted: 30 September 2026
After a good winter break, the Community Nursery will be re-opening on Friday 18 September 2026.
The winter in Southland has had few frosts, but lots of rain. While we have all been away, there has still been some work done in the Nursery, keeping weeds down and replacing weed matting and building a second new bench in the shadehouse – thanks Ray and thanks mainly to Geoff for weeding, with a few other helpers. Pond planting continued – thanks Jason for the great drone photo below.
Other events while closed were accompanying Jo Ogier and husband John (with Riki and supporters from Hokonui Runaka and Jim and Marcella and supporters from Eastern Southland Gallery) winning the Supreme Award at the Murihiku Creative Arts Awards in August (the exhibition “He Wai Apakura – Te Ara Pounamu The River’s Lament - A Pathway of Treasures” will be at Te Atamira Gallery in Frankton from 26 November to end of January 2027).
We organised a “Hands Off Our Conservation Land” at Bushy Point in August and recently attended botanist Cathy Jones 80th Birthday Dance Party in Nelson in September!
Jobs to be done on opening day will be cleaning weedmat and paths, starting the new seasons potting up and pricking out and weeding always! A few seeds are coming up early in spring and natives are starting to flower already. Watering will not be needed!!
Plant orders are going out of the Nursery and the main Bushy Point planting day is coming up on Sunday 4 October 2026. The Nursery plays a big role in this planting and will be putting out plants on Friday 2nd October, and it will be great to see as many people as possible on the planting day. Details at https://www.otataralandcare.org.nz/news-events/bushy-point-planting-day-sunday-4-october-2026/
Chris and Brian
Posted: 14 September 2026
Bushy Point guided walk with Botanist Brian Rance is part of the Nationwide Day of action against the present Government’s Conservation Amendment Bill.
Bushy Point, as Conservation land without a status, is exactly the sort of land the Government could sell off under this proposed Bill. The Otatara Landcare Group and community have been planting and controlling pests on this Public Conservation Land for over 25 years. Join us to celebrate the progress that has been made and oppose the Bill that will elevate “Economic Interest” above “Conservation” in the Conservation Act!
For more information read – “New Zealands Conservation Jewels are not for sale” – by Southland’s Robin McNeill and Allan Brent Federated Mountain Clubs
https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/the-press/20260629/281702621439771?srsltid=AfmBOoppjj-21c1WTQKlRfxLCDN9gialSDJDNUVPY6PLZ4DFpL5dLVqU
If you havent been to Bushy Point for a while below are a few photographs which show the progress made and what is at stake.
Meet at Bryson Road (Otatara) entrance to Bushy Point at Noon (bring your lunch). The walk will take about an hour.
Chris and Brian
Posted: 9 August 2026
After a flurry of activity at the Nursery in June, and a number visits and planting events, we are closing the Nursery for winter on Friday 27 June 2026.
While volunteer numbers remain high, there is less nursery work to do and we all need a winter break, so we can come back fresh in springtime (well, we do, in our 30th year of running the Nursery!).
Lots of people wonder, or ask, where do the Nursery plants go? – so I made a quick list of some projects – Kowhai Reach, Bushy Point, Oreti Totara Dune Forest, Thomsons Bush, Woodlands School, Waihopai planting, Otatara School, Maloneys and other QEII Covenants, Castledown Wetlands, Citizenship Ceremonies for ICC and SDC coordinated by Multicultural Society, and lots of individuals – including quite a few Otatara subdivisions! And our own place with new pond plantings taking place over recent Fridays. For those here last week we were entertained again by a kingfisher on the “Bittern” and recently lots of gorgeous waxeyes and fantails.
We will have a Break-up on Friday 27 June, so bring your best baking. There will be some work to do but more a social get-together and a celebration of what we have all done this season.
We cant underestimate the great networking and socially uplifting enthusiasm everyone gets from getting together, doing work together and having fun together, as well as growing a lot of native plants – all in a super natural environment.
Brian and I would like to personally thank everyone who has helped out this year and look forward to your return in springtime. We will still be available for queries and advice so please email or call (Chris 021660361) if you need anything or want to order plants for spring.
Chris and Brian
Posted: 21 June 2026
Friday mornings always have a diverse range of activities and at the end of May we were starting propagation by cuttings, planting more pond plants, translocating the bittern and apple pressing!
The apple pressing in particular continues a tradition that started with our good friend Malcolm McKenzie bringing along his wonderful wooden apple press – we had many good community days with Malcolm and we fondly remember him as we continue these events. There are a number of “blast from the past” photos below remembering good people and good times!
Now, we borrow Russell and Bronwyns state of the art apple press, but there is a catch. There is no chipper, so apples need to be prepared by freezing (and defrosting) ready for pressing and the press works hydraulically and so is much easier to operate. On the Friday we started after morning tea and continued after lunch pressing whatever people brought along. We, ourselves ended up with over 25 litres of juice which we use throughout the year. Cider apples were collected too and we look forward to sampling the resulting cider made by others!
In the next few weeks we will continue with propagation from cuttings, planting and other winter tidy up jobs.
Chris and Brian
Posted: 4 June 2026
