Tourists Set To Chip In With Remote Conservation Work In Queenstown Lakes District

Environmentally conscious tourists can now choose to give back to local conservation efforts in the Queenstown Lakes District, with the launch of a new immersive experience this month.

Innovative Queenstown-based organisations Southern Lakes Sanctuary (SLS) and Over The Top – The Helicopter Company are joining forces to offer eco-focused travellers the chance to roll up their sleeves and contribute to local conservation, with the launch of their new Hands-On Conservation: Journey Back in Time experience.

The unique half-day trip will take tourists beyond Queenstown's iconic Ben Lomond range to Out The Back – New Zealand's smallest high country station – via helicopter, where they will witness first-hand the proactive work SLS is undertaking to protect wildlife such as rock wren/pīwauwau and kea, and to create safe areas for the reintroduction of other native species.

In addition, guests will have the option of installing their own predator traps and add to the traps already in the area.

To mark the milestone, one of the first trips is being auctioned off at the sold-out RealNZ Conservation Ball 2024, which takes place this weekend (September 28).

Southern Lakes Sanctuary project director Paul Kavanagh says the funds from the auctioned flight will go directly towards significant conservation projects in the region.

“All the proceeds from the first ECO Tours experience – as well as the other auction items at the Conservation Ball 2024 – will help with removing predators from the Rees Valley,” he says. “We are striving to clear the valley of stoats and feral cats before a possible translocation of takahē in early 2025.

“The mahi needed in this area is extensive,” Kavanagh explains. “It is only through support like that shown by RealNZ and Over The Top – The Helicopter Company, that our crew can truly make an impact to protect the natural environment from invasive species and make it safe enough for native taonga to survive and thrive.”

Over The Top – The Helicopter Company CEO Louisa ‘Choppy’ Patterson says her company is dedicated to supporting provincial conservation and preservation projects.

“We have an ongoing vision to reduce our carbon footprint by introducing sustainable tours and experiences,” Patterson says. “We aim to provide a definitive New Zealand experience for discerning guests, where ethical and sustainable tourism share a true connection to the land.

“Southern Lakes Sanctuary is renowned for its local conservation work, and we’re thrilled to partner with the team, who are proactively enriching the value of our region by protecting ecosystems and building resilience in wildlife populations,” she adds.

The new conservation tour is valued at more than $5,000 and will be available to the public this spring via the Over The Top – The Helicopter Company website.

About Southern Lakes Sanctuary 
The Southern Lakes Sanctuary Trust that oversees this project is a consortium of six local groups that collectively represent 84 community groups, landowners, and businesses, who in turn have been working for many years to protect and restore the declining biodiversity of the Southern Lakes region. The consortium relies on the mahi of hundreds of committed and dedicated volunteers, throughout the district. Their tireless work, which has been quietly ploughing on for many years, is the foundation upon which the Southern Lakes Sanctuary is built. Donations to the Trust can be made at https://southernlakessanctuary.org.nz/get-involved/

About Over The Top – The Helicopter Company
Over The Top – The Helicopter Company is a locally owned tourism company operating in Queenstown. With nearly 40 years’ experience, a pioneer in the luxury travel sector providing helicopter excursions throughout the region, Fiordland and New Zealand. The essence of the company continues to be “to provide our guests with an unforgettable experience, utilising our helicopters to access pristine areas”. Excursions can include access to a unique par 3 golf experience in the mountains, exclusive a high-country station, remote places in the Fiordland and Aspiring National Parks and other treasured areas throughout New Zealand.

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