Your Catchment Group Coordinator
Katie Alderton
021 399 343
katie@thrivingsouthland.co.nz
Catchment Group Contacts
Murray Wards
027 435 6709
murray@wilmatfarms.com
Beyond Regulation- whole of Mataura project
About Us
The Gore Catchment Group got started in 2018 with locals who wanted to make a difference in their waterways and bring town and country together. There are now more than 80 members from Gore and Mataura — a mix of lifestyle block owners, townies, and farmers running sheep, beef, dairy, and deer. It’s a really strong community group that’s hands-on, practical, and focused on projects that benefit both the environment and the people who live here.
Catchment Area
The Gore Catchment in Eastern Southland stretches from the Hokonui Hills through Gore to Waimumu. Shaped by the Mataura River and Waimumu Stream, it features lowland plains, gentle hills, and a mix of rural landscapes.
Recent Events
The Gore Catchment Group hosted an amazing day at the wetland on Murray Wards property with Nicola McGrouther and the Deer NZ team. Stacey and Katie from Thriving Southland set and lifted minnow traps, discovering native Gollum galaxias fish. It was fantastic to see the wetland’s biodiversity thriving.
Enviro schools visit with Bluff and Te Tipua schools teaching wetland environment and water quality and clarity testing.
On 26 March, the Gore Catchment Group hosted a community planting day, engaging local students, catchment members, and partners including EnviroSchools and Environment Southland. The event trialled Garto Plant Guards against standard plastic guards to compare cost, maintenance, and plant survival. Students learned hands-on about riparian planting, native species, and habitat protection, while the wider community shared knowledge about planting techniques and resources. The day combined practical action with education, strengthening connections between farmers, schools, and the local community.
Projects
The Wards’ Wetland is an amazing example of what can be achieved when farmers lead from the front. With support from NZ Landcare Trust, Fish & Game, Westpac’s Water Care Project, and Thriving Southland, Murray and the Gore Catchment Group have turned a low-lying area into a thriving 5-hectare wetland made up of three interconnected ponds. It’s become a hub for education, biodiversity, and community involvement. The plan is to plant 15,000 natives over the next few years, develop a walking track, and create a space where farmers and schools can learn together.
Other Projects:
The “Slow the Flow” Field Day was another highlight — a hands-on look at small-scale runoff solutions, with plenty of farmer discussion and a good BBQ to wrap things up.
Thriving Southland is a community-led group with a vision to create a prosperous Southland, healthy people, healthy environment from the mountains to the sea.
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CONTACT US
25 Don Street,
Invercargill 9810