The Outdoor Awards are how we celebrate individuals and organisations that have been successful in significantly improving outdoor recreation outcomes for participants and clients. We’d like to offer a big congratulations to our 2021 Outdoor Award winners! 

Discover Waitomo – ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD

Discover Waitomo are the operators and kaitiaki of the Waitomo Glowworm Cave, Ruakuri Cave, and Aranui Cave.  

They have an adopted a future-fit operational model which encompasses break-even goals and benchmarks for a sustainable future in the areas of energy, water, natural resources, pollution, physical presence, people, and drivers. Through this model Discover Waitomo are focused on ensuring their products do not cause harm to people or the environment.

With an environmental team on hand, climate monitoring systems within the caves, and environmental education programmes, Discover Waitomo have taken big steps to understand their own footprint and realise their ecological goals. 

Outward Bound Regional Schools Programme – OUTSTANDING EVENT/PROGRAMME

Based out Outward Bound’s Anakiwa school in the Marlborough Sounds, the Mind Body Soul course is a fully funded 21-day residential programme for ranagatahi from low decile schools.

Working with rangatahi, schools, whānau, and community groups, the programme comprises of 105 schools from 13 different regions. Mind Body Soul has become a valuable opportunity for hard-to-reach communities to empower their rangatahi and inspire leadership. 

Te Awanui a Rua – MĀORI OUTCOMES

Located in Taumarunui, Te Awanui a Rua are a Māori charitable trust established to foster potential and unify their community by providing marae based wananga for schools and the wider community. Through their programmes they provide mentoring in education and career pathways with a strong focus on the outdoors and connecting rangatahi with the whenua.

Part of their work also includes acting as kaitiaki and sharing knowledge around care for the environment as well as facilitating community events that seek to protect and enhance their whanaungatanga.  

Rachael Moore - SUPREME AWARD

Rachael Moore has been a leader within the outdoor recreation sector for 30 years and has been a significant advocate for the outdoors through her work with organisations like Hillary Outdoors, Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) and the Department of Conservation (DOC).

Rachael helped lead the charge on developing and establishing ground-breaking resources and safety guidelines for the adventure activities sector. The SupportAdventure website is one of the many significant initiatives she delivered, one that has made Aotearoa a leader in outdoor safety. 

Friends and colleagues have described Rachael as determined, dedicated, and an excellent mentor and leader; a perfect addition to the list of Supreme Award winners. 

Thank you to our 2021 outdoor award sponsors: Skills Active Aotearoa, New Zealand Mountain Safety Council, New Zealand Alpine Club, Department of Conservation and YMCA New Zealand.