AU NZ

Events, photo walks, talks from the masters, in-depth workshops. Expand your horizons with one of our many events across Australia.

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Events, photo walks, talks from the masters, in-depth workshops. Expand your horizons with one of our many events across Australia.

Starting Never Ends is the one place for all Sony camera mini-sites. Learn about all new Sony camera products in a fun interactive way.

AU NZ
Simon Pierce
-
Advocate

Zealandia Wildlife Photo Walk

Simon Pierce
Image: Alpha 7R III (A7RM3B)
A casual photo walk at the Zealandia ecosanctuary in Wellington

About the event

Zealandia is one of New Zealand's top wildlife photography locations. We'll do an (easy) morning walk through the accessible tracks of this predator-free reserve to seek out interesting birds and reptiles to photograph. There's a good chance of seeing some of Zealandia's 40 native bird species, including raucous kākā, gentle takahē, cute pāteke, friendly toutouwai (robins), and delinquent tūī. As a lifelong reptile geek, I'll be hoping to see a few tuatara and skinks enjoying the summer too!

I won't be doing any formal presentations on wildlife photography at this event, but I'll be very happy to chat through any gear and settings questions you might have. All experience levels are absolutely welcome. After we've had a walk we can (optionally) head back to Zealandia's Rata Cafe for lunch, where I can provide a few post-processing tips for those who'd like to stick around. 

This event is free, but there's an entry fee – $22 per adult – to the predator-free area to be paid at the reception (after we've assembled in the foyer). It's well worth considering a membership so you can come back through the year, and to support this world-leading conservation effort.

Find out more about Zealandia here: visitzealandia.com 

Techniques covered

  • General wildlife photography tips, particularly those relevant to forest birds. 

What to bring

  • Camera gear. If you've got one, your telephoto lens will probably get the most use.
  • Water and snacks for during the walk.
  • Outdoor clothes (check the weather forecast!)
  • Binoculars are helpful for long-range bird identification.

Event FAQs (For general FAQs, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page)

No, but Zealandia has a great cafe! I'll be sticking around for lunch after the walk, and you're welcome to join me.
Any clothes you're comfortable walking in are fine. The tracks are well-maintained, but shoes are a good idea.
There's plenty of public parking near the entrance: https://www.visitzealandia.com/Visit#Getting-Here
No – the main tracks are wheelchair accessible. All very welcome. More details here: https://www.visitzealandia.com/Visit#Accessibility
Yes – in fact, Zealandia has a free shuttle up from the CBD. Details on visiting are here: https://www.visitzealandia.com/Visit#Getting-Here
For sure. Shoot me an email at simon@naturetripper.com
As a reminder, there's a $22 entry fee for non-members. Also, please do take care to check your bag to ensure there are no predators stowing away. Mice and rats are sneaky.

Advocate

Simon Pierce

I'm an ocean wildlife photographer and marine conservation biologist living in Kaikōura, New Zealand.My scientific speciality is photo-identification, where we ...

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