Walking in the Abel Tasman
Published: January 27, 2025
Exploring the Abel Tasman
Recently, Whakatū’s support worker Lisa Mann went on an invigorating walk with taiohi on the Abel Tasman. Inspired by the powerful connection between exercise and mental wellbeing, this adventure was all about developing good mental health.
It had been a long and cold winter in Richmond, where the Real youth whare is located.
With spring on the rise, we (the kaimahi) decided a hike in the beautiful Abel Tasman would be a great experience for the taiohi. They had never been on a boat before, or explored the park, so this was going to be an adventure to remember.
We put the idea to taiohi, leaving out important pieces of information such as hills and the distance of the hikoi. The taiohi responded positively so off we went.
Split Apple Rock
It was a Goldilocks kind of day—neither too hot nor too cold, but just right—when we set off for Marahau, the gateway to the park.
We boarded an aquataxi that whisked us across sea at 50knts to visit the second most photographed rock in the Southern Hemisphere, Split Apple.
The taiohi were determined to promote the rock to first place as they clicked away on their cameras!
The boat continued its way into the park and the taiohi saw a korora and fur seals lounging on the rocks at Adele Island.
Anchorage Beach
At Anchorage, our young explorers were left on the golden sands. Nobody else was around and they sat and listened to the bird song. The taiohi were given the map, told they were walking to Marahau and to plan where to stop for lunch.
Everyone left in an upbeat mood, until they reached the first corner, and a cry rang out—it was a hill! They climbed, and at the top they were awarded a stunning view.
During the walk we admired the flora and fauna of the park and tried to keep the energy levels of the taiohi at a good level.
Despite this attempt, the walk was peppered with cries of “nooo!” meaning a long hill ahead and “whaaat!” meaning they had just seen a sign indicating the remaining distance.
Akerston Bay
Happily, they reached Akerston Bay for lunch, where a cheeky weka nearly stole the food. With a camping stove in our pack, we worked together to make a very welcome hot drink.
After lunch we continued our walk towards Marahau, and despite a couple more hills to ascend, the taiohi took everything in their stride with good humour.
Overcoming challenges together
As we reached Marahau, there were high fives all around and a huge sense of achievement. Everybody agreed that it had been a magical day and the taiohi realised they had achieved something special in taking on the 5-hour challenging walk.
Our youth respite service in Whakatū provides a safe and caring environment for young people aged 16-18 years who may be going through a tough time dealing with things like anxiety and depression.
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— This story was first featured in Harikoa magazine (issue 3, 2024).
