North Shore Times (New Zealand)
Camping in reserve thrills
The organisers of an overnight family camp in a local bush are ‘‘still grinning about it’’.
The Centennial Park Bush Society held a bush camp for families at the park on March 4 and committee member Dick Downing says it was ‘‘enriching’’.
‘‘The whole idea was to bring families into the park and give them a really traditional kiwi outdoor experience in the middle of the city,’’ Downing says. ‘‘The other key thing was to get people in the outdoor environment with their families … for a lot of people it was their first time camping.’’
The camp was open to 20 families, and the group did a number of outdoor activities, including looking at plant and stream life and a night-time, torch-lit insect hunt.
Downing says there was also talk of pest control, as well as fire safety around the bonfire, so it was educational.
The camp coincided with Seaweek 2017 and Downing says the link is because the park stream flows down to the sea.
‘‘We had singing and guitar playing around the fire which was all very cool, seeing families spending time together with no pressures and just relaxing in that natural environment was just tremendous,’’ he says. ‘‘Centennial Park is such a hidden gem and a lot of people don’t know it’s there. So it was good on so many levels - social, community, environment, fire safety.
The Hibiscus and Bays Local Board helped financially while council parks staff helped with planning and organisation.
‘‘It was a true collaboration.’’ Downing hopes the experience can provide an events blueprint for the bush society and others.
‘‘Centennial Park is such a hidden gem.’’ Dick Downing