The Wild Dunedin Story
New Zealand Festival of Nature/Wild Dunedin has very deep roots in Dunedin, the wildlife capital of Aotearoa. We work with local community groups, businesses, conservationists and nature lovers to share the magnificent wildlife and wild places of our city, and we showcase the work of those who are planting native species, eradicating introduced mammalian predators, and helping populations of native animals of all kinds to flourish. Working closely with nature tourism operators in the city, we provide many opportunities for locals and visitors alike to view Dunedin’s very special wildlife up close.
Wild Dunedin Committee members (from left) Hoani Langsbury, Jeannie Hayden, Kerry Buchan and Neil Harraway
Wild Dunedin’s Early Days
It all started back in 2016. A few like-minded nature lovers got together and came up with the idea of a festival celebrating the very rich and diverse wildlife and wild places that make Ōtepoti/Dunedin the wildlife capital of Aotearoa/New Zealand.
Neil Harraway, co-owner of Monarch Wildlife Cruises and Tours and former filmmaker with Natural History New Zealand (NHNZ) had been considering the idea of a nature themed festival for some time.
His idea became a reality when he teamed up with Kerry Buchan who was then working at Orokonui Ecosanctuary as Marketing Manager, Norcombe Barker of Larnach Castle, the late Professor Phil Bishop from Otago University, and Hoani Langsbury from Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou and the Otago Peninsula Trust.
They enlisted the help of former NHNZ production manager Jeannie Hayden, and Jeannie became the Festival Director.
The birth of Wild Dunedin is an example of how things operate in Dunedin, a city of around 130,000 people with an area of over 3,000 square kilometres which includes high country tussock farmland, forests, a salt lake, rivers, estuaries, a harbour, lowland farms and vast ocean beaches on the edge of the Pacific Ocean.
We tend to know each other here, and people working in conservation, tourism and the arts are good at working together and supporting each other.
Plus the University of Otago with its Botany, Geology, Marine Science, Science Communication and Zoology departments is a rich source of experts and the latest research on all kinds of nature-related topics.
Students from the University are also very willing to volunteer at our Festivals, providing an enthusiastic band of helpers at many events.
Earth Day 22 April
Earth Day is celebrated on 22 April each year. It’s a global event that encourages people and governments to become active in protecting the environment. Around one billion people from all over the world are involved each year.
The very first Earth Day was held in the USA in 1970 and it’s grown to become the largest secular celebration in the world.
Our Festival is always centred on Earth Day because encouraging people to care for the environment is what Wild Dunedin is all about.
We believe that if people experience the natural world at close quarters, and take the opportunity to learn about its beauty and fragility, they will be motivated to take action to look after it.
22 April is also when New Zealand schools have their first two week break for the year. Many of our events are for children, and the Festival gives families the opportunity to experience free or low cost fun educational activities in a variety of settings throughout Dunedin.
The Festival attracts visitors from all over New Zealand including many families who have discovered that Dunedin is a wonderful place for a family holiday.
Children are the conservationists of the future, and Dunedin has a thriving network of educators who are committed to getting children out into nature to make a difference in their own backyards and communities.
A highlight of 2023’s whenua-themed Festival included a collaborative tapestry collage using fallen leaves, twigs and other natural materials gathered within the park. Photo by DunedinNZ
Wild Dunedin Festival Events
NZ Festival of Nature/Wild Dunedin works with many conservation groups, individuals, tourism operators, scientists, artists, musicians, filmmakers, photographers and institutions to bring the Festival to life each year.
The Festival provides a ready-made structure, a large amount of publicity nationwide, expert advice and support, printed and online programmes and an online booking system to assist our contributors to create the very best experiences for people who attend the Festival.
Many of our contributors have been with us since the first Festival in 2016, and each year we discover more wonderful groups of people doing important work to protect our natural environment, and we bring them on board.
Since 2019 we have chosen a different focus for each Festival. This brings in fresh people, ideas and information and enables us to highlight important local issues. In 2019 the focus was on freshwater which is a big issue in Aotearoa, with many of our rivers and waterways in an unhealthy state.
In 2021 we highlighted the work that many locals and groups are doing rewilding their properties, planting native species and eliminating introduced mammalian predators and invasive plants.
The focus in 2022 was ‘down to the sea’, focusing on the harbour and ocean and the impact that our activity on the land has on the sea. In 2023 we focus on whenua/soil/earth and encourage people to look after the soil in their own backyards, and live more sustainably by growing their own fruit and vegetables.
In every Festival we also repeat popular events and activities from past years, including special deals on local wildlife and garden tours.
Nicola Toki and Jesse Mulligan re-creating their popular radio show Critter of the Week at Otago Museum in 2018.
Tūhura Otago Museum
Tūhura Otago Museum, one of the oldest in New Zealand, has been with us right from the start. They provide excellent venues including the Perpetual Guardian Planetarium where we show films, expert speakers, fascinating natural history specimens, and a vibrant events and marketing team that are a joy to work with.
Tūhura Otago Museum is a familiar and well-loved Dunedin institution and it’s very easy to encourage locals along to Wild Dunedin events happening there.
Museum Director Dr Ian Griffin has shown his high regard for the Festival with these words:
“Over the past few years, the Festival has become New Zealand’s pre-eminent biodiversity-focused public engagement event. It draws tens of thousands of people to events and showcases the unique fauna and flora found in our region.”
Ōtepoti Mohoao
From the birthplace of the name ‘Otago’, Ōtākou Rūnaka have endorsed ‘Ōtepoti Mohoao’ to be used alongside ‘Wild Dunedin’. It literally means wild Dunedin, as Ōtepoti is the name for Dunedin in Te Reo Māori.
Neville Peat our Patron
Neville Peat, long-time resident of Otago Peninsula and multiple award-winning author and photographer, is our Patron.
Neville is well known for his books on the natural history of Dunedin, New Zealand and further afield, and he has also written on geography, history and people.
New Zealand Festival of Nature is honoured to have Neville, longstanding nature lover and environmentalist, who was awarded the MNZM in 2018 for his work, as our Patron.
Neville Peat photographed by Caroline Davies.
Wild Dunedin Team
Jeannie Hayden continues as Festival Director. During the 2018 Festival Suzanne Middleton worked as a volunteer. We soon realised Suzanne’s skill in writing, and her working experience in tourism added great value to the organisation of the Festival, and she is now the Festival Coordinator.
Jeannie Hayden, Festival Director (left) and Suzanne Middleton, Festival Coordinator (right) work closely together to produce the Festival programme.
Social Media and Marketing
In 2021, our social media presence took a huge step up when Charlie Buchan came on board to manage all our social media and assist with marketing. Charlie’s skill and experience have been invaluable. With his help, followers and engagement on the Wild Dunedin social media platforms have increased greatly.
Charlie Buchan, Social Media & Marketing
Volunteers
Each year the committee meets in a location connected to the upcoming Festival theme. Seated clockwise are: Taylor Davies-Colley, Jeannie Hayden, Jayashree Panjabi, Charlie Buchan, Taylar McNeilly, Suzanne Middleton, Daniel Jephson (rep DOC) Rachel MacJeff, Neil Harraway, Steph Godfrey, Kerry Buchan, Matthew French, Rachel Cooper and Norcombe Barker. (Absent Hoani Langsbury).
The remaining members of the organising committee generously offer their time as volunteers. Trustees of the Dunedin Wildlife Trust and also on the organising committee are Neil Harraway (co-chair and representing Monarch Wildlife Cruises and Tours), Hoani Langsbury (co-chair and representing Otago Peninsula Trust and Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou), Kerry Buchan (representing Otago University), Rachel Cooper (representing Toitū and Dunedin Public Art Gallery). Norcombe Barker from Larnach Castle is also a Trustee.
Taylar McNeilly is the Treasurer and represents our partner PKF Dunedin.
Other members of the organising committee are Rachel MacJeff (representing Tūhura Otago Museum), Taylor Davies-Colley (representing Orokonui Ecosanctuary), Dr Steph Godfrey (representing Otago University), Hannah Zwalue (representing Department of Conservation), Jayashree Panjabi and Matt French.
Festival/ Event Volunteers
A happy band of volunteers helps us out at events during the Festivals and with other tasks from time to time. Our volunteers come from a range of backgrounds and contribute many different skills. They all receive Wild Dunedin t-shirts, assistance with transport, and vouchers for local wildlife attractions. It’s a great opportunity to make a contribution, meet interesting people and support nature.
Volunteer Hadil Catherina face painting as part of the team promoting the upcoming Festival at another city event.