Onerahi Primary takes school trip to Hatea Loop

Onerahi Primary School students on their way around the Hatea Loop. Photo/Tania Whyte

An Onerahi Primary School trip gave parents the chance to have lunch with their children without having to take a day off.

The whole school jumped on buses and headed into central Whangarei yesterday.

The 520 pupils were dropped off in five separate groups at points around the Hatea Loop, where they walked and had a picnic lunch.

The trip was as much about getting into their community, as it was learning about their surroundings.

Teacher Kim Te'o said pupils had been learning about different aspects of the area.

"Some of us have been learning about the health and fitness aspect of it."

Aiyana Van der Ent, Ally TeRangi, Bronson Longwood, Ashley Stowe, Kiara Sheard-Dreyer, Quintin Utakea, and Caleb Going encounter the Lions Fan Trail during their school trip. Photo/Tania Whyte

He said others had been learning about the history of the river, and others about how the area came to be, through council decisions and community surveys.

"Some of them have been really interested in the bridge, they've been researching how it works."

The Northern Advocate caught up with the Year 5 and 6 pupils from Room 21 by the hinaki sculpture. They were documenting their trip around the loop by taking plenty of photos.

While walking around, they also took in the wooden Lions fans which are part of the fan trail for the Lions game on Saturday.

Principal Gerald Koberstein said the event is also about community engagement.

"We like to have events that allow the parents to engage with the classes and the teachers, to strengthen that link."

He said by doing something like this, parents could pop out of their workplaces in town and join in the picnic without having to organise leave.

Mr Koberstein said there were about 300 parents who joined them for the walk, or lunch, or both.

Mr Koberstein said the pupils were really excited about the trip.

"Some of the kids had never been on a bus."

He said the groups all started out spaced apart, but some of the older pupils caught up to the younger ones.