Ocean Youth Aotearoa: Summer 2026

Tickets have now closed for the January 2026 programme. If you would like to be added to the mailing list to receive a notification when the autumn programme is open for registration, please email hayley@kellytarltonstrust.org with the subject line 'mailing list'.

Ocean Youth Aotearoa is back for the 2026 summer holidays!

Join us and other like-minded individuals in our journey towards a better future for our oceans. This eight-day holiday programme is for rangatahi between the ages of 13-17 and includes:

• Field trips to the world's first fully-protected marine reserve, Goat Island/Te Hawere-a-Maki

• Snorkelling experiences

• A cruise aboard Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari to spot cetaceans

• A behind-the-scenes tour of the SEALIFE Kelly Tarlton's aquarium

• Workshops on scientifically surveying the marine environment

• Talks by leaders in the marine space including volunteers, scientists, aquarists, and divers

• Support to come up with your own project to support marine conservation in your own community, iwi, or school

• A whole heap of fun and adventures in your very own Tīkapa Moana!

Thanks to generous support from WWF-NZ and the Chisholm-Whitney Trust, this programme is offered at a subsidised rate of $40 per day ($320 total).

We want Ocean Youth Aotearoa to be accessible to all whānau. If cost may be a barrier, please feel free to get in touch- we’re happy to discuss options and support where we can.

Previous students of Ocean Youth Aotearoa had this to say:

"I came home happy everyday - so pleased I did it - thank you for this amazing opportunity which I will remember always!"

"It was an amazing experience that I'm so glad I had the chance to have."

"It has taught me so much about how we can save our ocean and how anyone can contribute. It's definitely been fun, educational, and exciting!"

"My experiences and learnings from the Ocean Youth Aotearoa programme fuelled the passion of six months of work as I developed my connections through networks of other successful restoration groups"

"I loved hearing the stories about people's journeys as a marine biologist and being able to ask questions."

"The teachers were totally supportive of our passions and even made suggestions. The trip fueled my passion for the ocean even more."

"Everyone was amazing. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity and I will always remember it. I hope to see everyone again in the future and maybe even be one of the teachers that help make this program happen someday."

"It was overall an amazing experience where I got to experience things that I never would have been able to do without this programme. The instructors were also amazingly supportive and encouraging."

Limited tickets available- get yours now and join the #oceanyouthaotearoa movement to protect our oceans and create a sustainable tomorrow for Aotearoa. The future is in your hands!

"We may be 20% of the population, but we are 100% of the future." Ocean Youth Ambassador, Steph Evans

For FAQs and further information, please visit: https://www.visitsealife.com/a... or send an email to hayley@kellytarltonstrust.org. Some activities on this programme are weather-dependent and may need to change to indoor activities if necessary.

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Instagram: oceanyouthaotearoa

See below for photos of previous Ocean Youth Aotearoa programmes