“I’m a seventeen year old boy that lives in the little town of Picton and while being in my last year of school it is all a tad stressful, with work, study and other things such as leadership roles at my school.

In early December last year I was presented with the opportunity to embark on a journey, to learn to look after our beautiful taiao, to teach the youth and everybody else about the importance of taking care of the ecosystem. The island of Ōruawairua was where the journey would take me, it is a beautiful area that I had the great honour to learn to help maintain, and that not only helped the island but also myself and my friends around me.

I now feel very, deeply and emotionally connected to the moutere and it gave me time to reflect on myself and helped me decide on my future career and choices. I built great friendships, stronger relationships with local iwi, even greater memories and plans to reconnect with those friends so we can return back to the island and aid its beautiful fauna.”

December 2024

Harry dedicated to keeping it wild at waikawa

After his time on the December 2024 Untouched World Foundation programme at Ōruawairua, Marlborough Sounds, Harry Walkinshaw has taken it upon himself to connect back to the Waikawa area in Picton.

Harry talks about his experience on the programme and his vision for the future of the rohe.

“As a whole I feel more creative, sustainable, thoughtful and prepared. The experience has helped me grow into a leader and as an outcome of that, I was given the position of deputy head-boy within my kura.

Every now and again I shoot down the road to visit a couple called Nige and Mish who own a haven, otherwise known as Wild Waikawa. They lent a hand to the group on our first few and last days. Their work is unimaginable and the hard mahi has led to ‘an ancient wonderland our ancestors used to know.’. I do my best to help out in the environment, like putting out AT-220 traps on lines to catch pests that could possibly threaten projects and to teach the children at Queen Charlotte College about sustainability and nature, and what wonders it can lead to. 

Looking back on my life I have learnt many things but some of the more important life lessons are definitely from this programme offered. I feel very lucky to have been able to be selected for this and I will keep it very close to my heart.”