This series of four Waiheke Island workshops (November – December 2025) starts with learning how to make simple books (that can be used as nature journals) and follows with workshops designed to enrich participants’ experience of the diverse ecosystems found on Waiheke. Each experience provides time to slow down and enjoy a deeper, more mindful relationship with nature. Scroll down to learn more:
- An Introduction to Basic Bookbinding with Monica Peters
- From Forest to Field with Leila Lees
- From Ocean to Beach with SJ Blake
- From Estuary to Freshwater with Monica Peters
An Introduction to Handmade Books: Basic Binding techniques with Monica Peters
WHEN: November 22, 1pm – 4pm
WHERE: Waiheke Adult Learning, 2 Korora Rd, Oneroa
Step into the inspiring world of handmade books! Join bonafide bibliophile Monica Peters for a 3-hour creative, hands-on workshop where you’ll learn two different basic binding techniques to make two unique books. We’ll use basic materials: needle, thread and PVA along with new and recycled paper and card. You’ll come away with two books that can be used as a nature journal (see workshops below), personal diary, or as an album to house photographs, letters, favourite recipes or other mementos, or given as a gift for someone else to fill. You’ll discover:
- Paper Crafting Skills: Master cutting and folding techniques to prepare your journal’s pages
- Binding Basics: Learn two versatile binding techniques to build the body of your book and discover how to attach your pages securely to your cover
- Custom Covers: Design and decorate your own cover
- Nature Journaling: Learn how handmade books can be used to explore and document the natural world
Basic materials will be provided but you can also bring any papers or card along to personalise your own handmade creations!
Exploring the Transition from Ocean to Beach with SJ Blake
WHEN: December 6, 1:00 – 4:00PM, Bring your nature journal/Notebook!
WHERE: Enclosure Bay car park, Waiheke Island
Join marine advocate and experimental artist Sarah-Jane Blake for a unique, immersive morning at Enclosure Bay—a sheltered gem on Waiheke Island known for its calm waters, fascinating rock pools, and ever-changing shoreline. The experience begins at the picnic bench site at the head of the bay, where you’ll enjoy a warm welcome and a short kōrero/talk. Over the 3-hour workshop, you’ll experience:
- Guided Bay Walk: SJ will lead a walk along the bay, inviting you to explore the intertidal zone and discover both the sweeping views and the intricate details of this remarkable landscape
- Sensory Mark Making: Experiment with creative mark making using a variety of sensory-led prompts, connecting deeply with the textures, sounds, and sights of Enclosure Bay
- Personal Nature Archive: Capture your impressions on paper and create a small, tangible archive of your experience to take home
This workshop is designed for ages 14+. No prior art experience needed. Bring your own drawing materials. Come ready to engage your senses, explore the shoreline, and see Enclosure Bay through new eyes.
Exploring the Transition from Forest to Field with Leila Lees
WHEN: December 10, 6:00 – 9:00pm. Bring your nature journal/Notebook!
WHERE: Te Toki Reserve main carpark, Wilma Road, Waiheke Island
Join artist, writer, and healer Leila Lees for a transformative workshop that invites you to truly see, sense, and connect with the living world around you. Through guided observation, sensory meditation, and creative notation, Leila will help you build a profound relationship with nature—one that nourishes both curiosity and wonder. You’ll experience:
- Immersive Observation: Explore the remarkable transition between forest and field at Te Toki Reserve, using concentric circles and peripheral visioning to cultivate a deep sense of place.
- Sensory Meditation: Engage all your senses to notice the subtle relationships between plants, animals, and the landscape, and uncover the hidden stories shaped by history and human presence.
- Nature Journaling: Learn how to express your experiences and observations through nature journaling, discovering how this practice can open new pathways to exploration, creativity, and awe.
Whether you’re new to nature journaling or looking to enrich your connection with the land, this workshop offers practical tools and gentle guidance to help you see the world—and your place within it—with fresh eyes. Age 14+
Exploring the Transition from Estuary to Freshwater with Monica Peters
WHEN: December 14, 9:30AM – 12:30PM. Bring your nature journal/Notebook!
WHERE: Onetangi/Rangihoua Sports Park, Sports field car park. Waiheke Island
Discover the hidden magic of Waiheke’s wetlands with writer, ecologist, and artist Monica Peters. This immersive workshop invites you to explore an ecologically rich and historically significant wetland complex nestled between the sports park and golf course—a landscape where salty estuary meets sweet water stream. Over the 3-hour workshop, you’ll experience:
- Nature Journaling in Action: Dive into your journal as Monica guides you through drawing exercises that capture sweeping vistas, sensory impressions, and the intricate details of wetland life
- Mindful Listening: Take part in a mindful aural inventory, tuning out human-made noise to attune your senses to the subtle sounds of wildlife and wind
- Ecological Insights: Learn about the remarkable plants and animals specially adapted to thrive in soggy habitats, and discover how attitudes toward wetlands have evolved—from “dismal swamps” to “nature’s kidneys”
- Conservation in Context: Gain fresh perspectives on what’s being done locally to protect Waiheke’s wetlands and why these “shy places” require patience and presence to truly appreciate
This workshop blends creative play with ecological discovery, offering a chance to reflect, observe, and connect more deeply with one of Aotearoa’s most vital—and often overlooked—ecosystems. All materials provided; no art experience necessary. Age 14+
SCHEDULED FOR 2026
After Dark Night Walk with Annette Lees
WHEN: Date TBC
WHERE: Ōmiha Memorial Hall, Ōmiha/Rocky Bay Waiheke Island.
Step into the magic of nightfall and discover the hidden wonders of Aotearoa’s nocturnal world! Join Annette Lees and your night-time guides for a captivating evening that begins with a kōrero/talk at 7:00pm, followed by an immersive, hour-long walk through the local forest. You can expect:
- A Night of Discovery: As dusk settles, Annette will guide you on a sensory journey into the forest, inviting you to listen for the haunting call of ruru, gaze at the stars, and witness familiar landscapes transformed by the mysteries of the night.
- Storytelling Under the Stars: Along the way, Annette will weave together memoir, natural history, and social tales, creating a rich, immersive experience that brings the nocturnal world to life.
- Engage Your Senses: Navigate with limited light, awaken your curiosity, and experience the forest as you never have before.
After your walk, return to the Hall to warm up with a hot drink and enjoy a special book signing session with Annette.
After Dark: Walking into the nights of Aotearoa. Annette Lees. 2021. After Dark weaves memoir, social history and unknown tales from the natural world to inspire us to step out the front door at night, where we can shed our day selves and slip easily into a wilder and older world that is waiting there.
Deep into the Ngahere with Shane Wright
WHEN: Date TBC
WHERE: Location TBC, Waiheke Island
Step into the heart of Te Toki Reserve for a transformative three-hour workshop with Dr. Shane Wright—renowned plant evolution expert and passionate advocate for Aotearoa’s forests. This immersive experience invites you to journey through the reserve’s diverse ecosystems, from lush regenerating pōhutukawa and kohekohe groves to the unique wetland ecotones that make this landscape so extraordinary. Over this 3-hour workshop you can expect:
- Guided Ecological Exploration: Walk alongside Shane as he shares his deep knowledge of plant evolution
- Storytelling & Science: Experience a unique blend of scientific insight and indigenous wisdom, woven together through Shane’s engaging storytelling
- Sense of Connection: Discover how you are part of the ongoing regeneration of these ecosystems, and deepen your personal and collective relationship with the land
Whether you’re a nature enthusiast, budding ecologist, or simply curious about Aotearoa’s living landscapes, this workshop offers a rare opportunity to see the world through new eyes and connect with the powerful story of regeneration.
monicalogues 