Aotea Great Barrier Island

Gallery Exhibition: Dancing around the Barrier by Monique Endt
2025-03-07 10:00 - 2025-03-28 17:00 (Pacific/Auckland) | Aotea Arts & History Village, 80 Hector Sanderson Road, Claris, 0991

Yoga
2025-03-08 09:00 - 17:00, 2025-03-22 09:00 - 10:30 | Tryphena Hall, 1 Medland Road, Great Barrier Island, 0991, New Zealand

Gentle Yoga
2025-03-10 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-03-17 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-03-24 10:00 - 11:30 | Tryphena Hall, 1 Medland Road, Great Barrier Island, 0991, New Zealand

Iyengar Yoga with Linda Power
2025-03-10 17:30 - 19:00 | Claris Conference Centre

Yoga for Presence
2025-03-11 17:30 - 19:00, 2025-03-18 17:30 - 19:00 | Aotea Arts & History Village, 80 Hector Sanderson Road, Claris, 0991

Yoga with Linda Power
2025-03-12 09:00 - 10:30, 2025-03-19 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-03-20 09:00 - 10:30 | Tryphena Hall, 1 Medland Road, Great Barrier Island, 0991, New Zealand

Yoga with Linda Power
2025-03-12 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-03-19 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-03-26 13:00 - 14:30 | Claris Conference Centre

Somatic Movement & Mantra Meditation with Eunate
2025-03-13 13:30 - 14:30 | Tryphena Hall, 1 Medland Road, Great Barrier Island, 0991, New Zealand

Jam night at the Currach
2025-03-13 18:00 - 23:30, 2025-03-20 18:00 - 22:00 | The Currach Irish Pub, 78 Blackwell Drive, Great Barrier Island, 0991, New Zealand

Guided Stargazing Experience with Good Heavens
2025-03-14 20:30 - 22:00 | Medlands Beach, Oruawharo Bay, 0991, New Zealand
Aotea Great Barrier Island is a Dark Sky Sanctuary. This means that our island is protected from the harmful effects of light pollution, forever. Aotea’s skies are exceptionally clear and dark. Without the impact of artificial light, the island is widely considered as one of the best places in the Southern Hemisphere to view the night sky. It’s the perfect place to embark on a stargazing adventure!
To get the most out of your time under the stars consider a stargazing experience with small local business Good Heavens. They provide guided stargazing experiences – on top of a sand dune. Here, the team provide moon chairs and blankets, so that you can lean back in comfort and wonder…
Is there a better place to appreciate our place in the universe?
They’ll also bring binoculars, an 8″ telescope and a hot drink! 😉
Experiences are scheduled 2-4 times a week, generally on Tuesdays/Fridays and Sundays, but may be brought forward or postponed if the weather dictates this. Just book in on your preferred date, your first night on the island if possible, and note any additional dates in the comments. The Good Heavens Team is looking forward to taking you stargazing!

Barrier Bush Pigs vs Katikati Stags Rugby Game
2025-03-15 14:00 - 17:00 | Claris Sports Club, 19 Whangaparapara Road, Claris, Great Barrier Island, New Zealand

Onion workshop with Caity Endt
2025-03-20 09:30 - 14:30 | Okiwi Passion, 10 Mabey Road, Okiwi, 0991, New Zealand
$20 | Spaces Limited.
Book at: foodres@anamata.nz

Hatha Yoga
2025-03-20 10:00 - 11:30 | Glenfern Sanctuary, Glenfern Road, Port Fitzroy, Auckland, 0963, New Zealand

Volunteer Morning at Medlands Community Garden
2025-03-21 10:00 - 12:00 | Medlands Community Garden

Toitū Aotea - Community Led Development Project Hui
2025-03-22 14:00 - 17:00 | Port FitzRoy Boat Club
Community-Led Development: A New Opportunity for the North of Aotea

“Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi.” With your food basket and my food basket, the people will thrive.

This Whakataukī is the essence of Community-Led Development – coming together to share our selves, time and resources to bring about change to our community with the focus starting in the North of Aotea. It rings true that whilst we can see the challenges of living remotely, it also makes a strong community who have a can-do attitude, and what has become a catch phrase to describe us as “good at MacGyvering it up” by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA)- our partner in this project. We originally came up with the term but the DIA just loved it and it stuck

Ngāti Rehua Ngātiwai Ki Aotea Trust board were successful in 2023 in being selected to be one of the 20 communities around NZ that are currently in the DIA’s Community-led Development program. Its initiated by the people, for the people. The community-led development approach focuses on communities as a whole, rather than on specific programmes or activities. It invites us to bring our strengths to the mahi that we do and see where we can bring challenges to the table and turn them into opportunities.
This programme for Aotea is just at the beginning – it continues for five years but from what we have learnt and seen around Aotearoa, this can go for much longer and I am sure the lessons that we learn in the process will far outlast the five years.

Our community-led development initiative is called Toitū Aotea – to be sustainable and have longevity. To look after the whenua and the whanau who live here now and for generations to come. We have an exciting opportunity to create lasting change for the North of Aotea—and in turn, the whole motu (island).

Some of the challenges on the island are easy to identify; power, water, kai, health and connection.. Those are all big and worthy of our mahi and focus. Its the ones that sit behind we are curious about, both big and small what achievements will arise out of our community coming together? Working together, connecting, being reminded sometimes of how things used to be and what could our future look like if we have the tools to help us.

What is Community-Led Development?

Community-led development is about empowering people to shape their own future. Instead of waiting for change to come from the outside, we take the lead in identifying what’s important, what needs to happen, and how we can make it work—together. The Government is supporting community-led development, through the Department of Internal Affairs, by providing support, advice and funding, but the work is led by the community.

This approach is guided by key values:
Kotahitanga – Working together as one community
Manaakitanga – Caring for each other and our environment
Whanaungatanga – Strengthening connections between people
Kaitiakitanga – Protecting and sustaining our whenua and moana

Through Toitū Aotea , our community has the chance to develop projects that will enhance daily life, support whānau, and build a strong future for the next generation. Some of the ideas that have been suggested so far include:

Activities for Tamariki, Rangatahi & Whānau

Sustainable Power & Water Solutions

Sharing Kai

Cultural Development & Community Spaces

Community enterprise to boost a localised economy.

These are just a few of the ideas that have been put forward. What do you think? What would make life better for our community? We want to hear from you! Toitū Aotea – Community-Led Development Hui is happening on March 22nd at the Port Fitzroy Boat Club, 2-5pm. This is a chance for everyone to share ideas, support projects, and help shape the future.

After the hui, Orama will provide kai, and we’ll enjoy some amazing local musicians sharing their mahi (work). It’s a time to kōrero (talk), hono (connect), and whakanui (celebrate what’s possible when we come together.

If you want to tautoko /support a project—or even better, be part of making it happen—let us know. You can email us atAoteaCLD@ngatirehua.iwi.nz or come along to the hui.

Kia ora ai koe i tō haerenga, nau mai, haere mai ki te mahi tahi, kia tipu, kia rea tātou katoa.

May you have wellbeing on your journey, Welcome, come and work alongside us, so that we may all grow and thrive together.

Nga mihi
Sacha Eddington (Community engagement officer)
On behalf of the Toitū Aotea steering group

Jam Night at The Currach
2025-03-24 18:00 - 22:00

Island Screens - La Chimera
2025-03-24 19:15 - 21:00 | Barrier Social Club
ISLAND SCREENS
Come & enjoy a night out at Barrier Social Club
Monday is movie night – starts 7.15pm
Entry is $10 / $15 cash on the door.
ALL WELCOME – SUPPORT LOCAL
Come early for yummy meals from 5.30pm
Posters on local noticeboards have the film details
Or follow us on FB: gbiislandscreens

Local Board Ordinary Business Meeting
2025-03-25 13:00 - 15:00 | Claris Conference Centre

Tāima Kōrero/Time to Talk: Keeping our young people safe online with Brett Harvey
2025-03-26 17:30 - 19:00 | Okiwi School

ACPAC Meeting
2025-03-27 14:00 - 17:00 | Okiwi DOC Office, 1501 Aotea Road

Master the Art of Surveying for Pua o te Reinga / Woodrose
2025-03-27 18:30 - 21:00 | Glenfern Sanctuary, Glenfern Road, Port Fitzroy, Auckland, 0963, New Zealand
Master the Art of Surveying for Pua o te Reinga / Woodrose Glenfern | 6:30pm Contact ecologyvisiongbi@gmail .com | Part of Eco Fest
