Each autumn, a dedicated group of volunteers descends on Ōkārito Lagoon for GorseBusters, a community-led effort to tackle invasive gorse and restore the region’s unique wetland environment. This year, the Franz Josef Glacier Guides (FJGG) team was out in force, contributing time, energy and old gear to support the cause.
Across the six-day event, 376 volunteer days were clocked up, with nearly every member of our guiding team pitching in. Between heli-hikes and glacier encounters, we grabbed loppers and herbicide, joining a group of 97 volunteers working across 13.5km of shoreline. The conditions weren’t always kind – including a soaking 88mm of rain in a single day – but spirits remained high.
As well as boots on the ground, we supported GorseBusters with gear – donating dozens of our iconic red bags for volunteers to carry essential supplies around the lagoon. It’s a small gesture, but one that helps make the long, muddy days a little easier.
The week also saw 450+ breakfasts served, 350 coffees brewed, and more than 400 dinners dished up – with 27 hours spent cooking, serving and cleaning in the kitchen. Add in 224 boat trips and 80 kayak crossings, and it’s safe to say this is no ordinary conservation project.
GorseBusters is proof of what’s possible when passionate people come together with a shared goal. As kaitiaki of Te Tai o Poutini, we’re proud to help protect the surrounding environment that makes our mahi, and our home. so special.
Ngā mihi to the organisers, fellow volunteers, and everyone who pitched in. We’ll see you at GorseBusters 2026
Check out the results of the last few years of mahi below, and for more on the mahi at Ōkārito Lagoon, visit www.gorsebusters.org.nz
