The voyages of Captain James Cook→

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Explore the stories, art, and maps of the voyages. The expeditions of James Cook shaped Europe’s knowledge of the world, and had far-reaching consequences for the people of the lands they touched. Explore the stories, art, and maps of the artists and scientists who were on board the ships. The digital collection items include drawings by the Polynesian high priest and navigator Tupaia, who accompanied Cook to New Zealand and Australia. You’ll also find modern-day responses to the expeditions from people of the communities Cook encountered, documented, and learned from. These reflect the different perspectives that exist on the legacy of the voyages and their impact.

Māori Rock Art →

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Join a rock art curator to discover how the first people in New Zealand depicted extinct birds and trace their story as they recorded their contact with the first Europeans in drawings of ships, horses, and houses. Learn about how Māori rock art sites were connected with river systems and mahika kai (resource gathering areas). Find out about how rock art was made, recipes for paint, and techniques for carving, painting, and drawing. See how rock art is now threatened and the work done to preserve and protect it. See for yourself how rock art fits with other traditional Māori arts raranga/weaving, whakairo/carving, ta moko/tattooing, and ancient artefact styles. See how rock art has inspired contemporary Ngāi Tahu artists and how it is used by people today.

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Resources and Society - case studies of NZ innovation in the context of sustainability →

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Coal is an important natural resource and it can be found throughout New Zealand. Coal is used world-wide to generate heat and electricity. Coal is a key ingredient in the production of steel. Coal is also used to make products such as adhesives, antiseptic, soap and many other household items.

New Zealand coal is valued for its special qualities, particularly its low ash and phosphorus content, its suitability for steel making, and its high heating value.

The major coal producing areas in New Zealand are Waikato, the West Coast, and Southland. On this field trip you will see two different mining operations at Rotowaro Opencast Mine and Huntly East Underground Mine. You will follow the mining and processing of coal in Huntly, through to the production of steel at New Zealand Steel Ltd in Glenbrook.

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Rangitoto - a treasure island in the Hauraki Gulf→

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Rangitoto Island is the youngest and largest of Auckland's volcanoes, and is the only volcano of its type in New Zealand. It is administered by the Department of Conservation in conjunction with the Tangata Whenua Nga Tai and Ngati Paoa. Rangitoto is a public reserve. Much of the island is covered in pohutukawa forest with a huge variety of plant life beneath the sheltering canopy of the trees. Recently pest-free, there are plans to turn Rangitoto into a wildlife sanctuary.

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Renewable Energy - ideas in practice for a sustainable future→

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Energy use and sustainability are hot topics right now. For centuries people have relied on fossil fuels such as coal and oil for energy. Fossil fuels are a non-renewable source of energy and when they are burnt as a fuel they release carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. As individuals and groups we can investigate alternative sources of energy and decide to use more renewable, cleaner forms of energy.

Alternatives to non-renewable fossil fuels include biomass such as wood pellets. Come along as we learn how wood pellets are made and why we might consider using them. Visit New Zealand's largest wood pellet plant in Taupo and see how they utilise waste wood from sawmills to make clean burning wood pellets.

Take a look at other sources of renewable energy in Taupo and see how technology is being used to provide more sustainable forms of energy.

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Wandering Whales - surveying migrating humpbacks in Cook Strait →

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Whales belong to a group of mammals called cetaceans, which also includes dolphins and porpoises. Of the 38 cetaceans known to inhabit New Zealand waters, 22 are whales.

The Cook Strait whale project aims to find out about the recovery of humpback whales in New Zealand waters. The surveys help scientists learn about the migration habits of these whales. Photographs taken of the whales are catalogued to identify individuals and estimate population sizes and movements. Genetic sampling is also carried out to determine the relationship between individuals seen in New Zealand and other populations. This information will be used for management and protection of humpback whales in the Southern hemisphere.

Commercial whaling in New Zealand ended in the 1960s. Ex-whalers from the last whaling station to be operated in New Zealand now use their skills to help spot whales for the project.

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Northern Wetlands - restoring a culturally significant dune lake ecosystem →

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Lake Ngatu is part of a system of dune lakes and a popular reserve in Kaitaia. Since 1980, The Bushland Trust has worked with other members of the community to re-vegetate the area surrounding the lake in native plants and grasses. Lake Ngatu is a taonga enjoyed by everyone, and is an excellent example of how a community can get involved in wetland conservation.

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Argo Floats - tracking the pulse of world oceans→

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Argo Floats are mechanical robots that float in the oceans and send important information to satellites. This voyage onboard the RV Tangaroa will have scientists from NIWA, NOAA and CSIRO who will be deploying both 'regular' Argo Floats and a new Deep Argo Float that will descend to 5,500m below the surface.

He Hokinga Whakaaro - reflecting on the First Encounters of Tangata Whenua and Cook in 1769, when New Zealand history changed forever→

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This field trip is a virtual journey back in time. You will stand on the very beach where, centuries ago, one of the first Māori waka landed in New Zealand. You will scan historic landmarks from a boat in Poverty Bay where Captain Cook anchored the Endeavour almost 250 years ago. In between you will visit a marae, identify local plants collected during Captain Cook's voyage, and find out about traditional use of plants by Māori. This trip fits well with big ideas like whakapapa, identity, communities, environments, taonga.

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Kererū Count - kaitiakitanga in action →

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Did you know that kererū (native wood pigeon) are essential to New Zealand's native biodiversity? They are the only birds that can disperse big seeds of many of our native trees like miro, tawa, taraire, and nīkau which enables them to survive. So kererū have an important role to play in sustainability. Although the disappearance of these birds could be a disaster for the regeneration of our native forests, on this field trip you will find plenty of good news stories of people working effectively to increase the population of kererū.

This field trip is also supported by The Tindall Foundation.

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Waka Voyaging - exploring hauora during an ocean adventure →

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Thousands of years ago, the ancestors of Māori journeyed out of South-East Asia and across the Pacific Ocean. It was a migration that took thousands of years. These people were some of the world's greatest waka builders and sailors. More recently, a waka revival has been gathering momentum throughout the Pacific, including here in New Zealand. People are rediscovering the traditional voyaging style of their ancestors, and connecting with the spirit of their journeys on the open sea.

On this field trip you will meet the crew of Nukutaiao Waka Hourua as they make their final preparations for a sailing expedition to Noumea, a 1600 kilometre, three week ocean voyage using ancient wayfinding techniques. You will learn more about this traditional double hulled waka, along with the training and preparation needed to be a sailor on board for the journey. You will find out what skills and attributes are required to be part of the crew, and how being part of such an expedition can positively affect one’s hauora.

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Our Primary Industries - sustainable futures through animal welfare, biosecurity, and food systems →

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Travel to Nelson to see how some of our primary industries are using science and technology to enhance the value of their products and ensure they remain sustainable. This field trip is supported by the Ministry for Primary Industries.

For a sustainable future, our primary industries need to maintain the highest standards of biosecurity, food safety, and animal welfare. During the field trip, you will see how these systems work together to protect and grow our primary industries and our way of life in New Zealand.

Map my waahi - my place, my story →

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We live in Aotearoa New Zealand. As well as our national bond, we are also connected to local places like our home, our school, our workplace, our marae, and these connections contribute to our identity.

Maps have always been a means of recording information, as well as a means of expression and communication. In the 21st Century we can use layers on modern digital maps to hide and show complexity and enhance maps as places to record and communicate a wide variety of inter-connected information. On this field trip you will see first-hand how iwi from two small rural communities are using modern mapping tools to help tell their stories of connections with the natural and cultural landscape. We hope this field trip will inspire you to start your own mapping project!

Kōkako - restoring bird song to Mt Pirongia→

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In the early 1900s kōkako were common in forests all over New Zealand but 90 years later, there were just 330 breeding pairs left. The haunting song of kōkako was destined to disappear. In the 1990s a public campaign had the last of the kōkako on Mt Pirongia removed so they wouldn't die out. Kōkako were seriously declining in number across the North Island as logging, land clearance, and predators all took their toll. Hard work by scientists, the Department of Conservation, iwi and community groups over the past 20 years is helping kōkako numbers recover.
This field trip celebrates 20 years of hard work to bring kōkako back to their maunga and see how you too can help restore birdsong to your local area.

Land, Sky and Space - accurate satellite positioning takes off! →

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Fly in the cockpit of a regional aircraft, travel in self-driving vehicles, see how rockets get into space, and how we make rural land more productive! This field trip is supported by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ).
We all rely on knowing where we are and the location of things. Location-based technology is improving all the time, it allows us to navigate safely, travel the world, and manage the environment around us.
Find out more about the growing number of jobs available in the geospatial industry and how you can utilise location-based technology in your day-to-day life.

Sustainable seas - essential for NZ`s health and wealth →

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We are an island nation with very close ties to the marine environment. Our marine estate (New Zealand's exclusive economic zone or EEZ) is 20 times larger than our land mass. Seventy-five percent of us live within 10 km of the sea. We value the sea for its resources such as fisheries, tourism, oil and gas and shipping. We also value the sea for food, recreation and spiritual well-being. Māori have long standing ancestral and other connections with the sea.
There is a growing conflict between these many uses of our marine environment. How can we manage these many uses? How can we meet the needs of Māori, local communities, and industry? How do we make sure that our seas are understood, cared for, and used wisely now and in the future?

Talking to the River, by Clare Knighton→

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“Talking to the River” tells the story of a farmer and a group of engineering and computing students from Victoria University of Wellington who collaborate to gather data about river pollution and publicise it. River pollution is a topical issue, and “Talking to the River” provides an example of people dedicated to making a difference. The article explains the impact cows can have on rivers and the importance of being able to accurately measure levels of river pollution. The university students overcome several challenges to create a prototype monitoring device that is fit for purpose. The reach of the project is extended exponentially by creating an app that tracks river improvements and allows users to upload photos to a website.

The Possum Problem, by Johanna Knox→

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"Possums. You hardly ever see them, but they’re all around: in the bush, on farms, in parks. They might even be in your garden. During the day, possums stay in their dens. These are dry, hidden places where they won’t be disturbed. Possums emerge after dark, millions upon millions of them, all across New Zealand. And what do they do? They eat."