Friends of Seeley Gully

11/05/2026

The Seeley Gully Trust is developing an audio tour of the reserve – and we would like to hear your ideas.

This is part of our desire to leverage the gully as an educational resource: education about biodiversity, sustainability and the importance of natural environments.

Visitors will be able to access the tour simply by using their phone to scan a QR code at any of the entrances, follow their progress on a map and click “play” whenever they pass a post marking a spot to pause.

Our question: what messages, ideas, values or concepts would you like visitors to gain from the audio tour?

Please use comments below or email [email protected] to convey your ideas.

05/05/2026

The volunteers keep turning up... and this week, focused on removing tradescantia at the Whyte Street entrance. Well done and thank you.

28/04/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AYDWipKx2/

17/04/2026

If you want to learn more about trapping, you might want to attend this event being hosted by Central Waikato Predator Free Hub and Predator Free Tamahere.
https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/tamahere-trapline-walk-talk-tour-tickets-1986959505368?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBEyam90UEUzbG9qMk9GZUZYSHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR74J0ZYpu7S5vczmfUsC2S--_uUw46D0fJFCEB-khMyuBZsH2yMLeAcZP0UeQ_aem_kpXCo07D_7lEcRTx7JQxPA

Learn how volunteers are working to protect the ecosystem of this stunning reserve with GoEco trapper Greg Townsend.

15/03/2026

Moth plant in your sights? This is a good time to take action - and be in to win!

Moth plant is a fast-growing vine that can rapidly smother and replace native vegetation. Often mistaken for choko, moth plants form large pods, containing thousands of seeds. Once the pods open, they can be carried great distances in the wind – spreading them all around the city. 

21/10/2025

The folk from the Environment and Sustainability section of the Hamilton City Council are looking for Hamilton East residents to participate in a pilot of water metering. Volunteers will have a meter installed, get feedback about their water usage and offered water conservation advice. They won't be charged. More information at the link below

IAWAI – Flowing Waters, the new waters company for Hamilton city and Waikato district, is taking its first step toward exploring the benefits of residential water metering.

01/10/2025

The Kowhai are looking great at the moment and the tui are taking full advantage.

15/09/2025

Another Kereru visit to the gully yesterday. Thank you Dominic Williams

31/08/2025

Last week's working bee saw the end of the winter planting season - during which almost 1,300 plants were added to the gully. Thank you to all the people who have helped. "Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini" (Our strength is not made from us alone, but made from many)

25/08/2025

As the planting season winds down, this morning’s working bee focused on our old “friend”, tradescantia. This plant is native to South America where it is kept under control by certain beetles. Here in Aotearoa, it was imported by settlers in the Wairarapa who planted it around their homesteads where its year-round moist green leaves provided a barrier to grass fires. It thrived too well in the New Zealand sun and has become a significant problem in bush restoration, at least until a good canopy is established and denies it much-needed sunlight.
We are making progress. The recent introduction of biological control – a tradescantia-loving beetle and a fungus – has helped but we still need to remove the w**d by hand. It inevitably takes more than one pass to get rid of it as it can regenerate from just the smallest piece of stalk or leaf.
Below, (from left) Nathalia, Deborah and Reagen debrief after a morning’s w**ding. That only 3 bags were filled is a good sign as we had to walk quite a long way to find the little patches of reinfestation.