Sounds Discovery Fund boost for school camps at Mistletoe Bay
The Port Marlborough Sounds Discovery fund was given a boost of $20,000 this week by Port Marlborough and StraitNZ
Bluebridge, to support Marlborough school camps at Mistletoe Bay.
Port Marlborough CEO Rhys Welbourn said, "The Sounds Discovery Fund was launched in 2018 with the aim of supporting
Marlborough children to venture out and learn about our natural Sounds environment. Encouraging children’s learning and
kaitiakitanga (guardianship) of the Marlborough Sounds is a key target for our sponsorship fund, so there is great
alignment with the Mistletoe Bay trust’s purpose."
Mistletoe Bay Eco Village is run by a not for profit charitable trust, The Mistletoe Bay Trust, and every dollar earned
from their commercial operation is used to support school camps, teaching students "hands-on" skills and how to live
sustainably within in a coastal ecosystem.
StraitNZ Bluebridge general manager Will Dady said their $10,000 contribution to the fund was to celebrate a milestone
for Marlborough, with StraitNZ Bluebridge operating for 30 years from the port. "StraitNZ Bluebridge celebrates 30 years
in Marlborough this year, and we wanted to mark this milestone with a donation that would have enduring impact for
generations to come."
Mistletoe Bay Trust chair Cathie Bell says the trust is extremely grateful to Port Marlborough and StraitNZ Bluebridge
for the donation.
"It means a huge amount to us. The past couple of years have been really hard - COVID restrictions stopped most school
camps and the storms last year and this year have taken out the road to Mistletoe Bay, which has reduced our camper
numbers even further."
The closure of Kenepuru Road to the public stopped many campers arriving last summer, and Cathie Bell says it could have
the same impact again this year. However, despite the road being out, Mistletoe Bay is accessible by a 15-minute boat
ride from Picton, and she encouraged schools and others to take that option to visit the bay.
"Our campground and facilities are still open, and we are welcoming guests who can still come in by water taxi. We want
to use this donation to ensure that Marlborough schools are still able to attend school camps at Mistletoe. The boat
access is a great way to bring students into the bay and we hope this donation helps cement Mistletoe as a venue of
choice for our schools. Every Marlborough child deserves to experience the Marlborough Sounds, and this will contribute
towards that."