2025 Discovery events
Ōtari Night Exploration
5pm–7.30pm, Friday 25 April, Otari-Wilton's Bush
Wellington City Council is kicking off the City Nature Challenge campaign with a free, whānau-friendly evening discovery event at Ōtari. We will wander into the native ngahere and set up a light trap to discover what creatures are around at night. Come and listen to the birds settling into bed and the Ruru coming out. Look closely to see the glow worms lighting up the side of the stream. We will be joined by entomologist William Brocklesby, friends from Te Papa, and the Ōtari-Wilton's Bush Trust.
Ōtari Night Exploration Facebook event page
Shell Identification, Crafts and Displays
10am–6pm, Saturday 26 April, The Backyard, Te Taiao
Learn about the amazing diversity of clams and snails here in Aotearoa. As part of the City Nature Challenge, Te Papa and the Wellington Shell Club are hosting shell displays, shell crafts, and identification station. Bring in your clean shells and have them identified by our experts and assemble a shell-craft mouse to take home.
Shell Identification, Crafts and Displays | Te Papa website
Community Litter Clean Up
9.30am–12.30pm, Saturday 26 April, Cannons Creek Lake Reserve
Ngahere Korowai and Conservation Volunteers New Zealand will be participating in the City Nature Challenge alongside their Cannons Creek Lake Reserve clean up. This event helps to prepare the space for the winter planting season where 800 plants are due to go in at the far end of the duck pond and take photos of the natural world around you. All equipment, including tools, gloves and vests will be provided. As well as free morning tea, refreshments, and snacks! Bring long sleeved clothing, a hat, waterproof jacket and sturdy, covered footwear.
Community Litter Clean Up Facebook event page
VUW Tramping Club and Society for Conservation Biology
9am–3pm, Saturday 26 April, Aro Valley Great War Memorial
Victoria University of Wellington Tramping Club and Society for Conservation Biology Wellington are teaming up to explore Waimapihi Reserve and make observations for the City Nature Challenge. Wear sturdy comfortable footwear, such as gumboots, hiking shoes or sneakers and warm clothing. Bring wet-weather gear, water, snacks/lunch and a device with iNaturalist downloaded.
VUW Tramping Club website
Taputeranga Rock Pooling
9am–11am, Sunday 27 April, Taputeranga Marine Reserve
We're getting up close and personal with marine life with our local nature experts. We'll explore the rock pools and areas around the snorkel trail at Taputeranga Marine Reserve. Come and discover creatures like sea stars, crabs, fish, seaweed, and maybe even an octopus! There will be experts from Mountains to Sea, Te Papa, and Wellington City Council.
Taputeranga Rock Pooling Facebook event page
Fungi Fun
2pm-4pm, Sunday 27 April, Central Park
Join Conservation Volunteers New Zealand at Central Park and get to know your Fungi. Come and learn about the very cool fungi of New Zealand and use iNaturalist to identify them. Bring appropriate walking gear and a device to log observations as we go on a fun hunt for fungi!
Explore Tawatawa Reserve
3pm–5pm, Sunday 27 April, Tawatawa Reserve
The Southern Environmental Association will be hosting an event at Tawatawa Reserve. This site is part of a maturing ecological restoration project, making it a great opportunity to observe and record the biodiversity of the area, including an old remnant of coast forest and a reforming wetland. iNaturalist beginners (and dogs) welcome. Join us for a sausage sizzle afterwards.
Tawatawa Reserve Facebook event page
Central Park Night Observations
6pm–7pm, Sunday 27 April, Central Park
Enviroschools and friends Te Papa, and Wellington City Council hosts a night-time exploration of te taiao with activities for all ages, including spotlighting Moturoa stream, searching for glow worms, and more. Wear sturdy footwear, comfortable war clothes and wet weather gear. Bring a torch and device with iNaturalist downloaded for making observations.
To register for this event, email chloe.bisleywright@gw.govt.nz.
Awa After Dark: Spotlighting at Percy Scenic Reserve
6pm-7.30pm, Monday 28 April, Percy Scenic Reserve
Explore your local awa with freshwater experts from our Wai Connection team at this spotlighting event. With your gumboots and a torch, head off on an evening hīkoi to your local waterway to ‘spotlight’ and observe freshwater species in their natural habitat. Learn about the health of our waterways, freshwater conservation efforts in your neighbourhood, and some of the ways that you could become a kaitiaki of your local awa.
Awa After Dark | Mountains to Sea website
2024 results
In 2024, Wellington City Council worked with regional partners to grow the City Nature Challenge in our region, expanding the target area to include everywhere within the Greater Wellington Regional Council boundary.
Over 18,000 observations were uploaded on the iNaturalist app in Te Upoko o te Ika, and a total of 2,480 species were recorded by 284 observers. See the full results from the campaign on the iNaturalist website.