Online virtual reality experience to help Kiwis discover New Zealand's natural environments

The series will help promote understanding and a deeper sense of kaitiakitanga. Photo / New Zealand Geographic

Have you ever dreamt of exploring New Zealand's wilderness but never had the time or money to do it? Well, now you can.

New Zealand Geographic, the Sir Peter Blake Trust and WWF have joined forces to make New Zealand's natural environments more accessible by using virtual reality.

The new virtual reality experience, dubbed NZ-VR Project, has been created to help change the hearts and minds of New Zealanders.

Through a series of different experiences Kiwis, regardless of their location or socioeconomic status, will be able to discover more of New Zealand.

New Zealand Geographic publisher and NZ-VR Project director James Frankham said the technology allows access to locations which are too remote or vulnerable to access.

"This is particularly true for the marine environment because it's covered by 30 metres of salt water," he said.

"Few people have been underwater, and even fewer in a truly pristine environment.

Unless we experience something, we can't really care for it and this project is about using experience to build empathy for our wild places."

Images in the series were captured in some of New Zealand's most remote locations. Photo / New Zealand Geographic

The videos go live today and can be accessed on any internet-connected device with a browser without needing an app.

Those wanting to access the videos only need to open their browser to vr.nzgeo.com to start their virtual reality journey, with or without VR headsets.

In addition to the public release of NZ-VR, the Sir Peter Blake Trust will offer a curriculum-connected virtual reality programme to all New Zealand schools from early 2019.

Sir Peter Blake Trust chief executive James Gibson said the programme will allow everyone using it to experience the environment so they will be inspired to care for it.

"The programme aims to connect thousands of young Kiwis with the marine environment," he said.

"Most young people have never experienced what's under the surface of our ocean. Through virtual reality, we can take the ocean into the classroom."

The virtual reality videos can be accessed by anyone with an internet browser. Photo / New Zealand Geographic

Gibson said the trust wants to deliver an "immersive experience to schools" so students can see what damage is being done to the ecosystem.

"They'll come away from this learning experience with actions they can take to protect
the marine environment and gain a much deeper sense of kaitiakitanga," he said.

The project is funded by a Gulf Innovation Fund Together (GIFT) grant from Foundation North and funding from NZonAir which extends throughout the North Island next year.

The videos were captured using special equipment and world-first techniques by a team from New Zealand Geographic.

Crews captured the environments at the remote islands of the Three Kings, Parengrenga Harbour, Poor Knights, and closer to home in the Hauraki Gulf.

A separate chapter was filmed in the New Zealand-administered outpost of Niue.