Saturday’s walk will offer a unique opportunity to wander through wetlands that resemble Aotearoa in the early years of Māori settlement between 1200 and 1300.
Back then, the land was teeming with tuatara, giant wētā, petrels, kiwi, penguin colonies and thriving wetlands.
That scene is being re-established at Te Kurī A Paoa/Nick’s Head Station.
The restoration began in 2003 with the planting of over 600,000 native trees.
Eleven species of seabird have been restored and in 2012 over 60 tuatara were rehomed there.
The event will start at 8am on Saturday and ticket holders will be bussed to Te Kurī A Paoa to start their all-round 10-kilometre walk to the wetlands.
Alzheimers Gisborne/Tairāwhiti manager Tracy Robinson said it was exciting to have a large group of people booked in for the walk.
“With the wetlands being such a special environment, we are only able to take 100 people through so as not to disturb the animal and plant life that has been established out there.
“However, we still have some tickets left for sale.”
The last of the tickets will be available to buy from Mitre 10 until 4pm on Friday.
“Then it will be all go getting the freshly prepared gourmet lunches ready and packed for the day,” Robinson said.
Email gisborne.alzheimers@xtra.co.nz for more information.
