Projects

(shortcut to work bee dates - work bee dates)

Trelissick Park restoration

In Wellington City, community volunteers are involved in restoring a large expanse of hillside, valley, stream and parkland that encompasses Trelissick Park and Ngaio Gorge to create a beautiful wilderness area. Groups involved in this restoration include the Highland Park Progressive Association, Ngaio Crofton Downs Residents’ Association, Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, Wellington Botanical Society and the Wadestown Residents’ Association.

Wellington City Council provides support with pest control, supply of native plants, track and bridge work, erecting signage and information boards and stream bank strengthening. The Greater Wellington Regional Council provides support with pest control.

Main activities of the Trelissick Park Group

The activities undertaken by the Trelissick Park Group (TPG) work towards the group's Five Year Plan (August 2021 update). They include:

• monitoring and reporting on problems affecting environmental health in the park, such as slips, stream bank erosion, pollution, rubbish, fallen trees, animal and plant pests.
• servicing bait stations and traps for rodents.
• organising working bees to clear weed-infested areas of the park and replant them with native trees, and to maintain tracks.
• liaising with adopt-a-spot volunteers.
• hosting visiting groups such as Conservation Volunteers, business and school groups, scouts.
• making representations to local, regional and central government agencies on environmental policy and planning initiatives relevant to the wilderness status of Trelissick Park, as well as the catchment of the Kaiwharawhara Stream.

The group is also working on a project to improve signage in the park. A project team has been formed. The team will consult with key people and work closely with the Wellington City Council to design the new signs. We aim to complete the project by October 2026. Thanks to Frances Lee and the Transpower Community Care Fund for funding this project.

Working bee tasks

Scheduled working bees are a key means of implementing the group's five year plan. Tasks include:

• infill planting in recently planted areas
• planting in weed-controlled areas
• releasing around recently planted trees
• weed removal, including tradescantia, montbretia, sycamore, buddleia, broom and wattle.

The main planting period is July–September each year.

Please report any problems such as trees fallen across tracks, rubbish dumping, slips, vandalism and noxious weeds to Wellington City Council at Report a problem or to 04 499 4444.

Please report pollution in streams to the Greater Wellington Pollution Hotline 0800 496 734.

Working bee dates for 2025

There are 2 regular working bees each month. One on the first Sunday of the month, and one on the Wednesday ten days later. These working bees start at 1:30pm and finish about 3:30pm.

Additional working bees may be scheduled at various times.

The next working bees are:

• Wednesday 14 May, 1:30pm, NEW LOCATION is entrance 5, upper layby in Ngaio Gorge. Planting new podocarp grove across the stream from Peter's seat or weeding nearby. If crossing stream, wear gumboots or prepare to get wet feet.
• Sunday 18 May, 1:30pm, Hanover St entrance. Clearing tradescantia from the sides of the track.

Dates for the rest of 2025 are:

• June: Sunday 1, Wednesday 11
• July: Sunday 6, Wednesday 16
• August: Sunday 3, Wednesday 13
• September: Sunday 7, Wednesday 17
• October : Sunday 5, Wednesday 15
• November: Sunday 2, Wednesday 12
• December: Sunday 7, Wednesday 17

See the Maps & Tracks page for entrance locations.

If the weather is wet the working bee will be transferred to the same day the following week. Please wear good footwear and bring general gardening tools with you such as gloves, loppers, grubbers, shears, pruning saws...hand tools only please.

Email the Trelissick Park Group for more information on place and confirmation of dates, and to get on the working bee mailing list. The email address is trelissickgroup@gmail.com

Adopt-a-Spot scheme

This scheme encourages people to adopt their own spot in the park to look after, at any time convenient to them, rather than working in with the working bee schedule.

If you are interested, email the Trelissick Park Group at trelissickgroup@gmail.com. The group will talk with you about the size and location of the spot.

See also Adopt-a-Spot locations (2015 update) (PDF) for locations of some historic, but typical, Adopt-a-Spots. Hover your cursor over spots for more detailed information (may be browser dependent).

Adopt-a-spot tasks

If you decide to adopt a spot, the coordinator will brief you and visit the spot with you to talk about it. You will then be free to establish your own work schedule and pace for a variety of satisfying tasks.

• Removal of pest plants such as tradescantia, montbretia, honeysuckle, wattle, barberry and fennel.
• Clear weeds and grass from around newly-planted native trees – generally this needs to be done for the next 3-4 years until the trees grow to be well-established.
• Replant areas cleared of pest plants. You will be supplied with suitable trees.
• Remove rubbish.
• Make suggestions for improvements.

• Spotee Guidelines (January 2023 update) (PDF)

Safety and health information for all volunteers

• Volunteer Health and Safety Information (August 2015) (PDF)

Articles

• Water of Life - Restoring the Kaiwharawhara Stream (PDF)
• Trelissick Park SMF Evaluation Report (PDF)
• Trelissick Park SMF Summary Report (PDF)

Project awards

Award nominations

• 2015 Nomination of Peter Reimann for Green Ribbon Award - Ministry for the Environment Green Ribbon Award nomination
• 2007 Nomination of Frances Lee for Green Ribbon Award - Ministry for the Environment Green Ribbon Award nomination

Awards received

• 2020 Volunteer Wellington's Corporate Challenge Mahi Aroha Award "for ongoing work and for marvellous hosting of volunteer groups - in particular hosting Treasury and Victoria University last year"
• 2010 Greater Wellington Regional Council/Department of Conservation/Wellington Hawke’s Bay Conservation Board Encore Awards – Winner, Community Partnerships Award
• 2006 Department of Conservation/Greater Wellington Regional Council – Winner “Weedbuster’s Award 06” for overall excellence
• 2005 Community Trust of Wellington – Winner of “Heritage & Environmental Category, Wellington Section” of Regional Awards
• 2005 Wellington Civic Trust – Certificate as a “Nominee for the Main Award”
• 2003 Wellington Civic Trust – Certificate as a “Nominee for the Main Award”
• 2003 Department of Conservation/Wellington Conservation Board – “Meritorious Award for Adopt-a-Spot Scheme”
• 1999 Wellington City Council – “Absolutely Positively Award”
• 1999 Department of Conservation/Wellington Regional Environmental Agency Winner – “Conservation Award”