News

Spring has sprung!

Misty, Keeti-Moana, Shannon, Mark and Sara potting on purei | Carex secta seedlingsThanks to the volunteers who showed up on Saturday 4 October to help get the nursery going - it was a busy day! New signage is now up, the shed is ship-shape, the wheelbarrow has been assembled, some drainage has been added to avoid muddying the lawn and hundreds of seeds sown and seedlings potted on. It wasn’t the finest of days but there were happy smiles all round.

New sign out front paired with the Waikawa Museum sign - pictured from left to right: Martin, Sara, Kelsi, Jesse, Joni dog, Graydon, Misty, Mark, Keeti-Moana and Shannon.

Posted: 17 October 2025

Hard work on a cold day

Thank you to the stalwarts who turned up on a cold winter’s day to help repair our grow tunnel after the extreme wind last weekend and also get started on assembling the shed. This is the last official working bee for the season, though likely Kelsi and Jesse will tinker away down there getting things lined up and snug for winter.

Springtime is when we will be sowing seeds and getting things properly going in the nursery. If you would like to join in and learn to propagate native plants for your own projects or volunteer your labour to grow plants for the catchment please get in touch.

Shannon and Keeti-Moana were the dream team on shed assembly

Posted: 9 June 2025

Now it looks like a nursery!

Despite the grimy weather on Saturday, Sunday was not too bad and we made great progress setting up more infrastructure for the nursery (rabbit-proof fence and grow tunnel). Some plants which have been propagated by Jesse in January were delivered and there are more to come. Thanks very much for the dedicated volunteers who helped out.

Out next working bee will be Sunday 8 June (1-4 pm). We hope to finish things off and get a kit-set shed installed and set out more plants. All are welcome.

Quasi the dog is an enthusiastic cheerleader at nursery working bees

Kelsi with new rabbit deterring fence and grow tunnel

Posted: 20 May 2025

Second successful working bee

Thanks to the people who came to our working bee on Sunday 6 April. It was a lovely afternoon and great to see people getting stuck in - locals (Niagara, Progress Valley, Waikawa and as far away as Papatowai), both new and long-time residents. We got load of potting mix unloaded and installed part of the rabbit-proof fence. It was a chance to make new friends and talk about the Waikawa Catchment and plans for the nursery.

Our next working bee will be held Sunday 18 May 1-4 pm. All are welcome, even if you are just curious and want to find out more.

Jesse, Gavin and Graydon unloading potting mix

Gavin and Bruce hanging a gate for the rabbit proof fence

Penelope securing potting mix from the weather

Sara and Martin working on the rabbit proof fence

Posted: 9 April 2025

First working bee off to a great start

Thanks to all the helpful people who showed up at our inaugural working bee on 8 March. We tidied up up the site, did some planning, installed a potting mix depot and a potting up bench.

Our next working bee will be held 6 April, 1 - 4 pm. All are welcome