On 19th December 2014, we held our Christmas Break-up at the nursery. A time to look back over the year, thank our volunteers, celebrate and have some fun! The new koru maze was in action again with bubbles and kite flying. Bronwyn lead decoration making, some good food was enjoyed and a little bit of nursery work was also done!
Posted: 14 January 2015
To rival our patron Ruud Kleinpaste – the Bugman, New Zealand’s Mothman Brian Patrick visited in December. He had come to do some surveys for DoC at Awarua but came and stayed with us for a few days with his family. He was impressed with the new giant bug jigsaws that Janet Hodgetts had just finished for the Education Centre. A moth survey undertaken at our place a few years ago (light trapping at night) had collected over 60 different moth species.
Posted: 14 January 2015
Fourty Waverley Kindy kids, teachers Sherie and Mel and parent supporters visited the Nursery and Education Centre on 11 December 2014. They brought back some kohuhu that they had grown and looked after since their last visit a couple of years ago – ready for planting out. The weather was kind and the children did a bush walk treasure hunt with Chris and Gretchen and potted up kohuhu and manuka seedlings with Bronwyn and Janet. After those serious activities the children tested out the new koru/maze run-around area to great effect.
Posted: 13 December 2014
A visit from 35 members of the Multicultural Society took place in glorious sunshine on 13 December 2014. The Education Centre had been booked this year following a cancellation of last year’s event at Anderson Park because of bad weather. It was a joyous occasion where members shared great food and chat as well as sharing bubbles with Alan Admore, a bush walk with Chris and lots of racing around the new maze/koru in the paddock. Santa even made an appearance! The Community Nursery has supported the Multicultural Council for many years gifting native plants to all new NZ Citizens in Southland, and it was great to be able to share this festive occasion. Thanks to Angela and her team for organising a great event.
Posted: 13 December 2014
In early December an unusual phenomenon appeared at the Community Nursery! A Stewart Island plane spotted a huge koru design in Rance’s paddock. The idea was hatched by Chris and whilst Chris and Brian were away on holiday Barry Smith and Ray Jackson turned it into reality by designing and mowing a maze/koru in the paddock next to the Education Centre. The idea was to create a run-around area for children to expend energy after their visits to the Nursery. It has proved to be a fantastic success so far! Thanks to Stewart Island Air for the photograph and since looking at the photo, many people have said the pond looks like a kiwi – which is of course how we designed it (not!).
Posted: 13 December 2014