A Stewart Island Adventure

You’re invited to our upcoming Discovery – A Stewart Island Adventure!

This Discovery is an opportunity for Rangers from all across Aotearoa to spend four amazing days on the beautiful Stewart Island. Stewart Island is renowned for its vast beaches, beautiful bush walks and fascinating history. During your stay you will be taking a water taxi over to Ulva Island for a two hour exploration walk. Ulva Island is one of the few pest-free open sanctuaries in New Zealand. You will also be kiwi hunting each night, doing the Twinkle Dark Sky Tour, hiking and participating in adventure based learning activities. There will also be the opportunity to just relax and enjoy the local beaches. You will need to be fairly fit and capable of walking for at least half a day. There could be up to four hours walking some days, so please ensure before accepting this invite you are up for this and have an appropriate level of fitness to make this trip enjoyable. There will also be some early starts in the mornings – especially on the ferry crossing days to allow travel time to/from the wharf. Please be prepared to potentially wake up around 5am on these two mornings.

• Dates: 20 – 25 January 2023
• Fee: $550.00 due 25 November 2022

LOGISTICS

On the 20th January, the group will be staying at the Gladstone Scout Den (100 Russell St, Gladstone, Invercargill) for the night. If you are going to be flying into Invercargill, we will have a leader at the airport for the day and will arrange shuttle transfers between the airport and the Scout Den. If you are travelling by car, please arrive at the Scout Den between 4 – 5pm. Dinner will be provided this night so no need to eat before arriving. You will be travelling to Stewart Island early on the morning of January 21st.

On the 25th January, the ferry will bring the group back over from Stewart Island in the morning where a bus will collect everyone and take them to Invercargill Airport. If you are travelling home by car, then pickup will be from 11am at the airport. Flights will need to be booked for 25th January, we will have adults waiting at the airport with girls until their flight departure times. 

Please do not book any flights without first confirming the details with us. Please email [email protected] to discuss the best flight option times available to you to ensure they fit in with our schedules. It is imperative that any flights booked are fully flexible just in case there is a delay with the ferry crossing etc.

FAQs

• Is travel to and from Invercargill arranged for me? No, all travel to and from Invercargill is to be arranged for and paid by parents/caregivers. These costs aren’t included in the fee cost. 
• What does the fee cover? The fee covers accommodation and food in Invercargill, transport from Invercargill to Bluff, the return ferry crossing to Stewart Island, accommodation on the island, water taxi to Ulva Island, all food and any other associated activity costs while on the island.
• What happens if I don’t pay the fee by 25 November 2022? Your child will be removed from the attendance list and her place offered to a girl on the waitlist.
• Is the fee refundable if my child can no longer attend? Up until the confirmation deadline of 25 November 2022, your fee is fully refundable should you need to withdraw your child from the event. After this date, we have already paid out costs associated with the confirmed number of girls attending and the fee becomes non-refundable. Please email us at [email protected] for any clarity or support required around this.
• What happens if my child becomes unwell while on camp? We will arrange to get them back to Invercargill where parents/caregivers will need to collect them from. Parents/caregivers need to be prepared to make arrangements at short notice to collect unwell children should this occur.

This event is a nationally run event and invites have gone out through OGM, if you haven’t received and invite or for any queries or concerns please email [email protected]