Loving our Estuary - Waiuku

Discover what's special about Waiuku Estuary – and how you can help protect it.

Waiuku Kindergarten and Sustainable Waiuku invite you to an evening celebrating our local estuary, its wildlife and the people who care about it.

Waiuku Estuary is home to some remarkable native wildlife, including shorebirds and other special species that rely on its habitats. Join us to learn more about what makes this environment so important, and discover some of the ways we can all help look after it.

Special guest: Stuart Attwood

We're delighted to welcome Stuart Attwood, Franklin's Shore Bird Ambassador and renowned wildlife photographer.

Stuart was involved in establishing the Dot Watch programme at Waihi Beach in the Bay of Plenty, bringing people together to help protect local dotterels.

Stuart will share his knowledge and experience of coastal birdlife, helping us discover more about the remarkable species that call Waiuku Estuary home, or visit from time to time, and why these special places are so important to protect.

Find out how you can help

The evening will also introduce Sustainable Waiuku's new community-led backyard trapping project, which aims to extend predator control from public land into the neighbourhoods surrounding Waiuku Estuary.

With support from a Simplicity Predator Free NZ Trust Community Grant, the project will help local households get involved in reducing rat numbers and protecting the native wildlife that depends on the estuary.

Information on how to obtain a free rat trap will be available for households interested in joining the project.

Whether you're interested in local wildlife, keen to learn more about our estuary, or would like to take practical action in your own backyard, we'd love you to join us.

Everyone is welcome – you don't need to be a kindergarten family or have any previous conservation experience.

Event details

Date: Tuesday 24 November 2026
Time: 5:30–7:00pm
Venue: Waiuku Kindergarten, Kitchener Road, Waiuku
Refreshments: Provided

Come along, bring a friend, and find out how you can make a difference for the place we all share.

We look forward to seeing you there!