Pilot
We piloted the walk in 2021 walking through the Red Zone along the Avon-Ōtākaro River to Victoria Square. The group of 14 were aged between 4 years old and 71.
Information for Schools
The Deep Time Walk meets many curriculum objectives and supports effective pedagogy
- Get to know and engage with your own community and native places outside of school
- Students get to connect with experts in the wider community.
- EOTC - Out of school learning - Expanding Science from the classroom to experiential learning
- A special experience in which students encounter future issues that are a current concern in contexts beyond school
- Covers Ecological sustainability and care for the environment
- Ensures Physical Activity through gentle walking for 4.6km over 2 hours.
- Allows for connecting with nature for wellbeing
- Essential Environmental and Cultural History of your local area; from billions of years ago through to the present.
- At the end of the walk is discussion and reflection time - to allow for innovation, inquiry, and curiosity by thinking critically, creatively, and reflectively
Click on the school info flyer pdf to read and print out:
Background
The Deep Time Walk emerged from the amalgamation of two projects. The Walk Through Time, created in California and the Deep Time Walk created at Schumacher College, UK.
We base our guided walk on this Deep Time Walk and add our local geographic and cultural history to be uniquely kiwi.
“What a gem! A powerful scientific and geopoetic evocation of how humanity is woven into the fabric of Earth’s remarkable past. Fascinating and humbling in equal measure.”
Professor Iain Stewart
UNESCO Chair in Geoscience and Society & Director of the Sustainable Earth Institute, Plymouth University
About
From stardust, shifting tectonic plates though to ice ages, dinosaurs and humans. An exciting two hour guided walk learning about key evolutionary events in time to comprehend the vast scale of deep time and the impact of our species on Papatūānuku.
It includes mini stops & talks set at each km, where each metre represents one million years of evolution with time for reflection at the end of the walk.
Also run in the yearly Christchurch Walking Festival we offer locally designed guided walks to groups workplaces and schools.
See below for booking details.
Guided Walks
We offer three carefully designed time walks:
Coastal - Embracing the new coastal pathway and unique Ihutai estuary, walk on a beach, by an estuary and salt marsh . We start at Tuawera/Cave Rock to Indies Park, Mt Pleasant Memorial Community Centre. ON HOLD due to road works.
Schools
The guided walks are perfect for students from Intermediate to High School. Exploring our local waterways and environment through broad and deep learning in real-life contexts will enrich all areas of the curriculum.
Moving beyond the classroom, students are able to directly engage with key authentic places and learn about truly local science, history and more.
More school information and flyer below.
Red Zone - Starting at the special post-earthquake Garden of Peace on River Road we follow the winding Ōtàkaro-Avon River to Victoria Square. Exploring the evolution of our planet and we also include important local Maori and European history and environmental aspects of Ōtautahi’s main river.
Explore the Climate Emergency via a transformative walking experience that leads participants
into a profound connection with the more-than-human world.
Booking
Groups can include schools, sports, walking groups, workplace development and anyone keen on a memorable learning experience.
Groups can be from 10 to 25 participants. Groups must provide two walking adult marshalls. The walks are one way to ensure the depth of the experience of time. Self-organise your own transport, bus ride, utilise the public bus or we can organise transport for you.
Walkers must be able to walk for 2 hours with regular breaks. Bikes and dogs on leash are welcome. Wear good walking shoes as some parts of the walks are on riverbanks and rough terrain.
Health & Safety plans and briefs are done for each individual tour. We provide pre-tour info, an experienced guide, a first aid trained worker. and resources. Two dates are booked- main day and then rain day to ensure the best outdoor experience.
A Deep Time Line bookmark - This timeline of Earth history is a useful reference providing a quick summary of the critical events that have shaped our Earth’s 4.6bn year journey. It is a useful for the walk, includes
a measure for the last 100, 000 years and can be as a bookmark memento.
Especially tailored or new walks just for your group can be organised. Get in touch with us to see what is possible.
Costs:
Workplace Group $500
School group $500
Community / Not for Profit Group 10% discount $450
Smaller community groups $25pp
Tailored/New walks TBA
Deep Time Line bookmark for each participant included
Transport additional
Email connect@flourish.org.nz to book.
Ōpāwaho-Heathcote – This walk follows the river starting at the Heathcote Expressway cycleway in industrial Woolston through to a Treaty inspired urban tiny forest on a city council reserve. It incorporates Roimata Commons with their fabulous community garden and other community-led native planting areas.