Get Outdoors Week kicks off this weekend
2 min read
A national campaign is encouraging Kiwis to get out and explore the great outdoors. Photo: Supplied
Taking place from 14 to 22 November, Get Outdoors Week is a national campaign that is encouraging Kiwis to get out and explore the great outdoors.
“If you’ve been thinking about getting the family off the couch and into adventure mode, then this is the week to make that happen,” said Recreation Aotearoa CEO Andrew Leslie.
“We’d love to see families sharing those adventures on social media; there are so many benefits to getting out and creating memories in the outdoors.”
Leslie added that the week is about encouraging quality planning and preparation.
“It’s the ideal time to check your equipment and refresh some knowledge. We’ve got heaps of fantastic resources to help you do that easily and effectively.”
Give hunting a go
The Game Animal Council got behind the initiative and is urging Kiwis to give hunting a go.
“We know there are significant physical health challenges across our communities, but going hunting or for that matter getting involved in other forms of outdoor recreation, has benefits far beyond simply getting some exercise,” said Game Animal Council general manager Tim Gale.
“There are major mental health and wellbeing benefits from going on outdoor adventures and when it comes to hunting there are also significant conservation, community and protein advantages that come from harvesting our game animal species.”
The Game Animal Council has also partnered with Hunting & Fishing to provide a $500 voucher to the winner of the ‘Try Something New’ photo challenge on 18 November.
“With this prize, we really want to encourage people to try something they haven’t done before and while that doesn’t have to be hunting, we would love for people to give it a go.
“More than 160,000 New Zealanders go hunting every year, but even so, it is important that as a hunting community, we continue to foster new and young hunters and make the sport as accessible as we can for them.
“I am often confronted with people who are keen to get into the sport but don’t know where to start.
“There are heaps of experienced hunters out there keen to help new people out and with clubs such as the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association running training courses all over the country new hunters can learn to hunt safely and successfully right from the start.”
Daily prizes
There are also some fantastic prizes up for grabs, including a cruise to Mou Waho Island and a guided hiking tour with Wanaka Water Taxi, hut tickets for a Great Walk, a family camping prize pack from Macpac, an outdoor adventure prize pack, and more.
Get Outdoors Week 2020 begins on 14 November and more information, including the daily photo competition is available at getoutdoorsweek.co.nz.
