Your Catchment Group Coordinator
Sarah Thorne
027 588 5200
sarah@thrivingsouthland.co.nz
Catchment Group Contact
Jessica Goodwright
027 697 4852
waimatukucatchmentgroup@gmail.com
About Us
The Waimatuku Catchment Group came to life around a farm kitchen table in 2016, bringing together locals who wanted to work together to protect and enhance the unique environment of our catchment.
We are known for our hands-on approach, hosting field days, planting events and beach clean ups, alongside social community events. A lot of our work has involved community events and projects to improve the health of our streams, wetlands, lagoons and estuary, and support the environmental performance of our farms.
Our aim is to bring people together to improve water quality and biodiversity, as well as enhancing recreational opportunities and economic sustainability for current and future generations. We are also a key part of the ACE (Aparima Community Environment) Project.
Catchment Area
The Waimatuku Catchment lies between the Lower Aparima and Oreti Catchments in western Southland. It is long and narrow with predominately sheep, beef and dairy farming on flat and gently rolling, artificially drained land.
The area is home to some very special places and biodiversity gems, including Bayswater Bog, Big Lagoon, the Waimatuku Stream and the Waimatuku Estuary.
Bayswater Bog is a peatland of regional significance and is one of the largest remnants of native vegetation on the Southland Plains. At around 20,000 years old, it is home for lots of unique New Zealand species, including carnivorous sundews, swamp sun orchids and a population of native skinks.
Further down the catchment, the Waimatuku Stream (deepened and straightened through historic dredging) feeds into the Waimatuku Estuary - a shallow tidal mouth estuary and a popular fishing spot. We also have nationally rare coastal lagoons, making us a very special part of Southland.
Recent Events
After a bit of a quiet patch we are just getting going again & hope to have some new and exciting community events soon.
Projects
The Waimatuku Catchment Group has been an active contributor to the Aparima Community Environment (ACE) Project, a multi-year initiative aimed at improving freshwater outcomes across the Aparima FMU. Through ACE, the group has participated in water quality monitoring, hosted educational events, and supported farmer-led innovation. Their involvement has helped bridge the gap between science and community, with a strong focus on practical, on-the-ground actions that support long-term environmental goals.
One of the group’s standout contributions has been its biodiversity-focused field days, which explore the catchment’s unique ecological features—from coastal lagoons to restoration sites like Big Lagoon. These events raise awareness, foster community connection, and provide valuable learning opportunities around native species and habitat restoration.
Other Projects:
Supporting Department of Conservation’s Nga Awa Project
Beach Clean Up
Planting days
Christmas Do at Thornbury learning about the history of our area
Working with Environment Southland on;
Water quality and aquifer education evening
Effluent management self-assessment
Essential Freshwater discussions
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
