Wednesday Field Trips & Workshop

Date: Wednesday, 28 January 2026

As part of the conference programme at Tākina, Wednesday will be a chance to “take a breather.” On 28 January, delegates are invited to step outside the venue and explore the region through a selection of optional field trips or a hands-on workshop.

These mid-week offerings are designed to be affordable and enjoyable, with no added administration fees. Please note that food is not provided, but there are plenty of excellent local eateries nearby where you can buy a snack or meal to go prior to your trip.

How to participate:
Choose your preferred option and sign up during registration. Spaces are limited, so early selection is encouraged.

Important notes:

  • Trips may be combined or cancelled depending on participant numbers.

  • All prices listed include 15% GST.

FIELD TRIP: Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington Harbour

Enjoy the local scenery, history and geology from the unique perspective of Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) Harbour aboard a chartered vessel from ‘East by West’ ferries. We will have expert commentary from a local geologist to set the scene.

  • Cost: $35 per person

  • Times:  10:30am-12:30pm or 1:30pm-3:20 pm (two separate trips, register for one)

  • Departure point: East by West Ferry Terminal, Queen’s Wharf (Central Wellington)

  • Facilitator: Dr Scott Nodder (Earth Sciences NZ)

  • What to Bring: Layered waterproof clothing suitable for adverse weather, covered non-slip shoes, sunhat/sunglasses, sunscreen, snacks, and water.

Ika_drone_7-e1754009753571

Photographs courtesy of East by West Ferries

matiu_somes_-_aerial_-_super_green_ocean

FIELD TRIP: Wellington City Walking Tour
Full

Join a guided walking tour through central Wellington, including the waterfront, to explore local geology and discuss tectonic settings, seismic hazards, uplift, sea-level changes, and basin sedimentation. This tour is suitable for a range of fitness levels and covers approximately 2 km on flat, paved surfaces.

  • Cost: $20 per person
  • Times:  10.00 am - 1.00 pm or 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm (two seperate trips, register for one)
  • Max Number: 25
  • Departure point: Tākina (50 Cable Street, Te Aro, Wellington)
  • Facilitator: Dr Cliff Atkins (Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington) & Dr Matt Ryan (Toitū Te Whenua - Land Information New Zealand)
  • What to Bring: Layered waterproof clothing, sturdy walking shoes, sunhat/sunglasses, sunscreen, snacks, and water.
Oriental Bay
BNZ building

Photo courtesy of Mark Mitchell, NZ Herald

Untitled design (48)

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.commons.org, Tom Ackroyd

FIELD TRIP: Haerenga - Layers of Land and Legacy

In the study of sedimentology, we examine the layers of the earth, the stories hidden in silt, stone, and shell, that speak of time, transformation, and memory.

Likewise, in te ao Māori, the whenua holds not just physical matter, but whakapapa, wairua, and lived experience. A visit to these key sites in Te Whanganui-a-Tara is more than a walk through the city, it is a descent through the layers of both land and legacy.

Sites visited will include Matairangi, Parliament, National Archives and Pukeatua (National War Memorial). Kura Moeahu has strong tribal connections to the Wellington Region and Taranaki, Aotearoa. A tribal leader for his people and the current Chair of Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa, Waiwhetu Tribal Marae, Piptea Tribal, Atiawa Toa FM Radio Station.

  • Cost: $90 per person

  • Times:  9 am - 1 pm (may end prior to 1 pm)

  • Departure point: Te Papa (55 Cable Street, Te Aro, Wellington)

  • Facilitator: Kura Moeahu, Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa ki te Upoko o Te Ika a Māui Inc

  • What to Bring: Layered waterproof clothing, sturdy walking shoes, sunhat/sunglasses, sunscreen, snacks, and water.
Wellington Harbour

Photo courtesy of Wellington City Council

FIELD-BASED WORKSHOP: Porirua Harbour Sediment Core & Trench Study
Full

This workshop is targeted at students (BSc, MSc, PhD) and early career researchers. Join a full-day field workshop at Porirua Harbour to collect sediment cores and excavate trenches, examining the 3D architecture of a mini-delta. On the way we will stop at Kai Tahi (Porirua City), where you can buy lunch. The Iwi welcome will take place at the waterfront near Kai Tahi, which also provides a great opportunity to introduce the study area.

Discussions at the field site will cover field methods, lab techniques, and sediment analysis, and hopefully, by the end of the day, we will be able to tell a story on the depositional evolution of this small delta. Please note this trip does not include a lab visit.

  • Cost: $75 per person per field trip at registration

  • Times:  8.00am-5.30pm

  • Departure/return point: Te Papa (55 Cable Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011)

  • Facilitator: Val Zuchuat (CSIRO), Romain Vaucher (James Cook University), Liz Mahon (University of Utah), Miquel Poyatos-Moré (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), and Xin Shan (First Institute of Oceanography)

  • What to Bring: Layered waterproof clothing, rubber boots or sturdy hiking shoes, additional clean clothes and boots (we will get dirty, so to avoid getting the bus dirty bring a clean outfit for the return), sunhat/sunglasses, sunscreen, snacks, water and lunch
ISC field trip

Photo courtesy of: V. Zuchuat