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Kia ora and welcome to our March issue.
Inside: ECO Fund opens and a Highlander helps us kick wallabies into touch, but first, a question . . .
What’s brown and stick-y?
A stick insect! Otago has six species of stick insect — read all about them on our fresh stick insects page.
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Blow the whistle on wallabies
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Otago Regional Council’s teaming up with the Highlanders to spread the word and stop wallaby pests crossing the line and spreading! Wallabies wreck our native bush and farmland. Give them the red card — always report sightings or signs of wallabies.
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Gotcha! Highlanders prop Ethan de Groot and ORC wallaby operations lead Gavin Udy with our stunt wallaby.
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Wallabies are spreading in our region, so if there’s one, chances are there’s a whole team. But even one wallaby can do an incredible amount of damage to the places we love.
Bennett’s wallabies, the species eating its way from Canterbury to Otago, get pretty big (up to 80 centimetres tall), so if you think you’ve seen one, don’t doubt yourself –there’s every chance it was a wallaby, not a feral cat or overweight hare.
Report sightings at www.reportwallabies.nz
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Have a project in mind that could make a real difference for your local environment? The ECO Fund is now open and ready to support projects that protect, restore and enhance Otago’s natural spaces.
Whether you’re a private landowner, iwi, community group or environmental organisation, if you’ve got projects — big or small — then our ECO Fund could be for you!
This year, a total of $919,800 is available, with applications open through to midnight on 19 April 2026.
What’s new this year?
Two ECO Fund categories have been updated:
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Hill country erosion management focuses on reducing sediment and soil loss through erosion control measures. This includes stock-exclusion fencing and tree planting for erosion control. It replaces the category for Critical Source Area Management on private land.
Total funding available: up to $51,100
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Scaling up for biodiversity supports projects that protect and enhance native biodiversity at a larger scale. It also aims to help community groups build delivery experience and transition towards the Large-Scale Environmental (LSE) Fund or other long-term funding sources. This replaces the category for Large-scale Biodiversity Projects.
Total funding available: up to $306,600
Continuing ECO Fund categories
These popular funds remain unchanged:
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General — total funding up to $306,600
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Sustained rabbit management incentives — up to $102,200
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Biodiversity enhancement on protected private land — up to $102,200
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Weed removal and revegetation — up to $51,100
There are also some new application requirements this year, so it’s worth checking the details before you apply.
Find everything you need to know — including a recording of our ECO Fund webinar — at orc.govt.nz/ecofund or get in touch with us to talk through your idea at ecofund@orc.govt.nz
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Our ECO Fund grant helped the Wildlife Hospital Trust continue expert veterinary care for hoiho / yellow-eyed penguin chicks hatched in Otago and mainland New Zealand during the critical summer breeding season.
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The Mt Rosa Residents Association constructed rabbit-netted fencing to strengthen their rabbit management efforts, supported by the Sustained Rabbit Management funding from our ECO Fund.
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ECO Fund recipient Whakatipu Reforestation Trust received funding for their Educate for Nature programme. In this photo, Liger Academy students look at what’s in the water of a local waterway.
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The ECO Fund has supported the restoration of 2.7 hectares of private land protected by a QEII covenant through native planting.
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Overall zero rates increase in ORC’s draft Annual Plan
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Balancing important environmental work and finding cost efficiencies were the key focus for the draft 2026–27 Annual Plan.
The draft plan delivers an overall zero rates increase in 2026–27 — a significant drop on the 8.7% increase forecast during the Long-Term Plan process.
For the average residential property in Dunedin, Clutha, Waitaki and Central Otago, rates drop slightly. In Queenstown, properties that pay a public transport rate will see an increase. This is due to the cost of extra services introduced after public consultation, such as the new Arrowtown to Jack’s Point bus service and increased frequency of services on other bus routes.
While there’s no increase in the value of the overall rates amount collected, rates for each property vary depending on things like location and the services provided. Some properties will still see a change with rates increasing or decreasing.
See more information about the draft Annual Plan on ORC’s website and look up estimated rates.
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Roxburgh area debris flood hazard findings shared
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Nature is powerful, but a prepared community is even stronger. We were blown away by the turnout at the community sessions in Roxburgh recently.
They came along to chat and learn more about our latest study, looking at local natural hazards, specifically, alluvial fans and debris floods.
Roxburgh sits on land known as alluvial fans. Think of an alluvial fan like a natural ‘chute’.
During heavy rain, these areas can act as paths for rocks, mud and water to wash down the hills. This can cause debris floods. These can be dangerous because they are unpredictable. They can happen quickly and with great power, posing a risk to infrastructure, homes and lives.
By knowing more about these naturally occurring hazards, we and the community can be more prepared and know exactly what to do when the heavy rain starts. This work is carried out in partnership with Central Otago District Council, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, and Emergency Management Otago, hand-in-hand with the Roxburgh community.
Missed the community presentation? Or just curious about natural hazards? Get the full detail.
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Natural Hazards Manager Jean-Luc presents the new study to community members during the evening session
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ORC at the Wānaka A&P Show
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Visitors to ORC’s tent speak with staff and check out the wide variety of activities and information on offer
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The Wānaka A&P Show was once again a great opportunity for ORC staff to connect with the community.
Representatives from science, natural hazards, biosecurity, catchments, consents and compliance teams were on hand alongside Enviroschools, talking with visitors about everything from pests and flood protection to groundwater, air quality and pollution reporting.
Across the two days, the team had nearly 1,300 conversations with showgoers.
The science team’s groundwater model drew plenty of curiosity, while Burn Dry, Breathe Easy tips — including how to use a moisture meter — were shared to help reduce wood burner smoke.
The Natural Hazards team also kept younger visitors engaged with their popular flood game, showing how communities can prepare for flood events.
Councillors Chanel Gardner, Matt Hollyer and Deputy Chair Kevin Malcolm also stopped by the tent to chat with locals and hear their questions.
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From left, Councillor Matt Hollyer, Deputy Chair Kevin Malcolm and Councillor Chanel Gardner at the Wānaka A&P Show
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Clutha Valley School students scour the seashore during their scavenger hunt
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A whole-school field trip to Owaka Museum and Pounawea last month was a great way for Clutha Valley School to strengthen their Enviroschools journey.
Every year, Clutha Valley School has a whole-school field trip that gets their ākoka into the wider Clutha community, learning more about how our sustainability actions affect the community beyond their school borders. This year, 94 ākoka turned up to Owaka Museum for fun and learning and finished off the day with a scavenger hunt at Pounawea.
A great big thank you to all the partners that made this day possible — Forest and Bird, Sport Clutha and Owaka Museum. The ākoka had lots of fun and can’t wait for next year’s whole-school field trip!
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Buses are a popular travel choice in both Dunedin and Queenstown
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This is an extremely busy time of the year for public transport in Dunedin and Queenstown.
With the return to school, work and tertiary studies, buses are filling up. Orbus is focusing on getting everyone to their destinations on time. Please be patient during this busy period.
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Why is egeria a pest?
Egeria is an invasive freshwater weed that grows fast, lives a long time, and can outcompete native freshwater species. Large clumps of egeria can come free from the underwater meadows where they grow, causing flooding by blocking waterways and drainage. It can also choke hydro turbines.
It can shade out smaller native species and prevents seedlings of native species establishing. Its rotting vegetation stops the flow of water, killing plants and animals.
Egeria is found throughout the North Island, with only a few sites in the South Island. It has not been reported in Otago.
What does it look like?
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Size: Stems can grow up to five metres long.
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Appearance: A slim freshwater plant with floating stems and linear dark green leaves in spirals of 4–6.
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Similar species: Similar to lagarosiphon, elodea and hydrilla.
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Flowers: In other countries, egeria has three-petalled white flowers with yellow stamens (the male fertilising organ of a flower) that sit on the surface of the water. Egeria is not known to seed in New Zealand.
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Habitats: It grows in mostly still or slow-moving, highly lit underwater sites, and survives in a wide range of temperatures.
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What should I do?
You can help prevent the spread of this freshwater pest by making sure you Check, Clean, and Dry all gear and equipment (boats, trailers, fishing gear, waders, etc.) that comes into contact with water, especially when moving between waterways.
Do not dump aquarium plants or pond plants into natural waterways — even fragments as small as one centimetre can start a new infestation.
Find out more about this pest on our Pest Hub.
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A SurfBee. This remote-control ‘boat’ was outfitted with an instrument called an RS5 for mid- to high-flow gauging where rivers are too deep or fast to wade in.
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Our environmental monitoring team are boots-on-the-ground water experts who are out in all weather conditions to make sure water data being recorded is reliable.
Rivers always change due to seasonal vegetation growth and flooding. Knowing the water level (think height) is important, but knowing the flow (the speed and volume of the water) is important, too.
The team uses some pretty high-tech tools to fine tune the accuracy of the monitoring sites. When a river is too deep or fast to wade into, we launch a Surfbee fitted with a device to measure flow safely. When flows are lower, our team wades into a river with handheld sensors, called FlowTrackers, to get an up-close reading and calculation of flow.
Reliable water data is the backbone of everything we do as a regional council. It helps to:
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Predict and monitor floods
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Analyse and understand our different water areas across Otago
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Manage our water resources
All our water data can be found on our Environmental Data Portal. It gives you the latest environmental data, such as water levels, rainfall, flow, temperature and much more.
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A new environmental education partnership is taking shape in the Whakatipu catchment: the Conservation Curiosity Collective (also known as C3).
Uniting community groups Whakatipu Reforestation Trust, Whakatipu Wildlife Trust and Southern Lakes Sanctuary with ORC, Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) and Enviroschools, they will support local schools with outdoor learning, offering hands-on opportunities with native planting, predator control, biodiversity monitoring, and freshwater health.
C3 is helping schools to adopt a more ‘catchment-wide’ approach to their learnings and restoration projects, enabling students to deepen their understanding of how each part of our natural environment connects and depends on the other. The partnership also strengthens relationships between the organisations involved, amplifying their collective impact.
They are currently working with four Queenstown schools on multiyear restoration initiatives.
“It’s been great to be part of a group of environmental educators whose skills fit together like a puzzle,” says ORC Upper Lakes Catchment Advisor Jaylene Harper.
“I’m excited to see where C3 takes us — and what opportunities it opens for local schools to grow their stewardship and restoration mahi.”
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Better together: C3 at Matakauri Wetland with Queenstown Primary School. Left to right: Lexie (Enviroschools Regional Coordinator); Christina and Anna (Whakatipu Reforestation Trust); Jaylene (ORC); Susan (Queenstown Primary School); Anna (Whakatipu Wildlife Trust); Bonnie (Southern Lakes Sanctuary); Yvette (QLDC Parks Officer).
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Find out about upcoming community events and Council meetings here.
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Feel free to forward this email to anyone who might like to read it. If you have any story ideas or want to know anything specific about anything in this issue, let us know by emailing onstream@orc.govt.nz
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