Seaweek brought together Mercury Bay residents of all ages to celebrate connection to the ocean.
Department of Conservation (DOC) community ranger Cheyenne Walmsley said the week demonstrated strong community spirit and a keen interest in marine environments.
“The ocean plays a big part in the lives of people living on the Coromandel Peninsula, and we saw that with many people participating in events and taking action during the week,” Cheyenne said.
The festivities began at Buffalo Beach on March 1 with a beach treasure hunt, marine-themed giveaways, and activities such as identifying marine pests and learning about seabird burrows.
On March 3, a beach clean along Hahei Beach and the Mautohe Cathedral Cove walking track saw 30 volunteers collect 40kg of rubbish. Meanwhile, the Experiencing Marine Reserves Trust ran a school snorkelling session in Hahei. Students were excited as they saw octopus, snapper and other marine life swimming right before their eyes.
On March 5, Mercury Twin Cinemas hosted a sold-out evening featuring short films and presentations on marine conservation. Topics included marine reserve monitoring, the effects of kina barrens, identifying marine pests, tracking seabirds with researcher Jamie Darby, the importance of estuaries with Coastcare, and learning about Aotearoa’s manta rays with MantaWatch NZ.
Throughout the week, children participated in various competitions, including designing a Seaweek poster, building Lego sea creatures, and colouring a scene from Te Whanganui-o-Hei Marine Reserve.
Local agencies also visited schools including Mercury Bay Area School, Coromandel Area School, and Netherton School, to discuss marine reserves and sea creatures.
“Thank you to everyone who joined in on making Seaweek 2025 a success,” Cheyenne said.
“Off the back of a successful Seaweek 2025, we are looking forward to establishing Seaweek in the local events calendar for years to come.”
