Welcome to Otari-Wilton's Bush
Otari-Wilton's Bush is New Zealand's most significant native botanic gardens and Wellington's largest area of original native forest. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is free to enter. This website aims to provide you with all the information you need to appreciate this natural resource to its fullest.
Visit the official Wellington City Council website here.(external link)
Coming events
March seminars
The theme for this year's Otari March seminars is "Visions". The Otari-Wilton's Bush Trust has decided to celebrate those people from the Wellington Region who have not only had visions of enhancing the environment, protecting biodiversity and educating the public but who worked to make these visions a reality.
All seminars will be at the Otari Information Centre, Wilton Road, at 7.30pm on the following Tuesdays:
March 2. Charles Fleming - Environmental Patriot. Speaker: Mary McEwan. Sir Charles Fleming has been described as "probably New Zealand's most famous and influential biologist". He was highly regarded as a geologist, palaeontologist, ornithologist, entomologist and became well known as a passionate leader of the conservation movement. He was also a local who knew Otari well.
March 9. Off the Deep End - the Marine Education Centre. Speakers: Judy Hutt and Victor Andelini. Judy and Victor are passionate marine biologists who are endeavouring to educate young and old about the wonders of the marine world on Wellington's South Coast
March 16. Natural Wellington and the Karori Sanctuary. Speaker: Jim Lynch. Natural Wellington was Jim's grand 1990 plan for the restoration of Wellington's biodiversity and it has been well and truly successful. The Karori Sanctuary actually came out of that plan.
March 23. Nga Manu - The Evolution of an Idea. Speaker: Peter McKenzie. Peter had a dream of a refuge for flora and fauna out amongst the swamp forest at Waikanae. He will explain how it evolved.
March 30. Leonard Cockayne and Otari - a Marriage of Ideals or of Convenience? Speaker: Rodney Lewington. This talk will trace the influences leading to the creation of the Otari Open-Air Native Plant Museum (now Otari-Wilton's Bush), and ask if Cockayne's part in this was as an opportunist or a visionary - or both.
Gold coin donation
Walks. All walks start at the Otari Information Centre at 2pm on the day indicated
March 28 Pseudopanax and hybrids. Dr Leon Perrie from Te Papa will talk about his current research on this genus using illustrations as we walk around Otari. Duration 1.5 hours. Grade: Easy.
April 25 The Treasure Trail. The Treasure Trail is an easy walk along the upper level at Otari. At the north end it begins in Job Wilton's reserve of original forest. Going via the Information Centre it ends at the Lookout with an extensive view of native forest, both original and secondary. This type of native forest is notable for the many features it shares with tropical rainforests. All species highlighted along this walk are native to New Zealand. Duration 1.5 hours. Grade: Easy. Leader: Dr John Dawson.
May 23 Fungal Foray. A ramble along the tracks with experts spotting the many fungi to be found at this time of the year. Duration: 2 hours. Grade: Easy. Leaders: Alison Stringer and Geoff Ridley.
June 27 Ray Mole and Otari 1962-1994. Explore the Otari that Ray Mole developed while he was Curator for 32 years. Ray came to New Zealand from Southern Africa having first trained at Wisley. His period at Otari was a time of dramatic development. Duration: 2 hours. Grade: Easy. Leader Carol White, former Otari staff member.
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