Local group Friends of Bullock Creek (FOBC) wants to highlight its community planting sessions, which anyone can take part in as a one-off or a regular activity. 

The group runs two sessions each Thursday at the Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs, which have helped transform the site - which now has extensive native planting, boardwalks, storyboards and even a yoga platform - over the past five years. 

“The beauty of it is we run these short little sessions,” FOBC administration support Andy Oxley told the Wānaka App. 

“You don’t have to be a member; you can just come along.”

Over the past five years the wetland has been transformed as part of an ongoing restoration project.

Andy said people of all ages and abilities can take part, to get both the physical benefits and social engagement the sessions provide.

She said FOBC also hopes to link up with the ‘Love Wānaka’ campaign to encourage tourists to come and spend a couple of hours volunteering when they visit the Upper Clutha. 

FOBC has a goal of planting 1,000 new natives and it is around halfway to its goal, she said. 

While volunteers typically help out with planting and weeding, the sessions also help spread the word about Bullock Creek. 

“We want to make Bullock Creek as well known as possible, make it accessible to the community, and make it a breathing space in an otherwise urban environment,” Andy said.

The group is currently working on a goal of planting 1,000 natives at the wetland.

Bullock Creek’s exceptionally high quality spring water comes from the Wānaka basin Cardrona gravel aquifer, which feeds the wetlands at the Fish & Game-owned hatchery springs off Stone Street and winds on through Meadowstone into Lake Wānaka.

FOBC was formed five years ago to protect Bullock Creek and its work goes beyond maintenance of the wetlands.

For some years its trustees have put time and effort into trying to protect the creek from contamination that has occurred from overflow from the adjacent Alpha Rise residential development.

Earlier this week, FOBC asked Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) to reconsider its plan to defer until 2030 a $6M stormwater solution which would protect Bullock Creek from contamination.

Bullock Creek is spring-fed, with exceptionally high quality water.

Anyone who is interested in the Bullock Creek volunteer planting sessions (which run from 10am-2pm and 2pm-4pm on Thursdays) can get in touch with Andy on 0211075520 or email [email protected].

PHOTOS: Wānaka App