Te Ruruhau ō Hinetearorangi – Nature Connection
Saturday, 7 September 2024, 9.00am – 1.00pm
Solway Showgrounds, Masterton
Join us for a fun day of nature activities for the whole whānau at the Solway Showgrounds Farmers Market. Kōrero with local experts and take action for nature.
- Go on guided nature walks and help restore the remnant native forest.
- Meet the mokomoko and make your own clay mokomoko.
- Explore one of our local awa and find out how healthy it is.
- Discover how the past affects the present and the future: learn more about fault lines and local mātauranga.
- Find out what ākonga across the Wairarapa are doing to take action for nature.
- Get creative with arts & crafts nature activities.
- and more!
Programme Details
Make sure you visit all stalls (as well as the workshops below) to experience all the event has to give!
Guided walks
with Trevor Thompson in native forest QEII covenant.
- 9.30-10.00
- 10.30-11.00
- 11.30-12.00
- 12.30-1.00
10 public spots per walk, first in first served.
Please sign up and meet at the QEII National Trust stall outside.
All ages. Must be able to jump fences and walk on uneven terrain.
Bring gumboots and suitable clothes.
Stream study
with Kara and Maddy from Mountains to Sea Wellington.
- 10.00-10.30
- 11.00-11.30
- 12.00-12.30
20 public spots per session, first in first served.
Please sign up and meet at the MTSW stall outside.
All ages. Must be able to jump fences and walk on uneven terrain.
Bring gumboots and suitable clothes.
Meet the mokomoko (geckos) and make your own clay mokomoko
with Reino Grundlig, and Sam Ludden from Kahungunu Ki Wairarapa.
- 10.10-11.00
- 11.40-12.30
12 public spots available per session, first in first served.
Please sign up and meet at the Kahungunu Ki Wairarapa/Mauri Tūhono stall under the kiosk outside.
All ages.
Dive deep into fault lines and Wairarapa geology
with Chris Hollis.
- 9.30-10.00
- 11.00-11.30
Meet inside by the big maps on the wall in the middle of the hall close to kids crafts table.
Bring rocks and fossils that you want an expert to have a look at and tell you more about!
All ages.
What's a river catchment and how is it affected by what we do?
with Gill Stewart from Enviroschools
- 10.30-11.00
- 11.30-12.00
Meet inside by the catchment model in the middle of the hall close to the kids arts & crafts table.
All ages.
Event Information
Ruamāhanga Restoration Trust in collaboration with local organisations and experts is here to give you a fantastic day at the Solway Showgrounds Farmers Market.
Collaboration partners include Wairarapa Farmers Market, Kahungunu Ki Wairarapa, Potangaroa Education, QEII National Trust, Chris Hollis, Aratoi, Enviroschools, Department of Conservation, Mountains to Sea Wellington, Waiawa Botanicals, Mauri Tūhono, Reino Grundlig, Predator Free Masterton, The Wairarapa Pūkaha to Kawakawa Alliance, Greater Wellington, Forest & Bird, Sustainable Wairarapa, Take The Jump, Norfolk rd Nursery, Tony Garstang, Kirsten Browne, and others.
This event is part of Conservation Week 2024.
The name of the event means "The shelter (like a ruru) of Hinetearorangi". This is inspired by the old name of Solway showgrounds - Purakau o Hinetearorangi, and where we hope that in a future where more people take action for nature we will see an abundance of ruru (morepork) sheltering in the trees around Whakaoriori/Masterton. Purakau refers to an old large tree under which people could find shelter. One of these trees, a large totara, grew on a bank of what we now know as the Solway Showgrounds. The tree had grown on an angle and over time part of the soil within the roots had eroded as had the underside of the tree trunk so that the base of the tree was like a cavern. When tipuna Hine Te Arorangi and her husband Te Ua were foraging in the area they were surprised by a storm and sheltered under this purakau. The name was given to the place after this happened.