The Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust is pleased to sponsor and help co-ordinate the annual Banks Peninsula Walking Festival in conjunction with Project Lyttelton, Akaroa District Promotions, Diamond Harbour Community Association, Governors Bay Community Association and Little River/Wairewa Community Trust. It creates an opportunity for local guides to showcase the diversity of Banks Peninsula as well as new walks and reserves.

Since 2012 the Rod Donald Trust has been involved with the annual Banks Peninsula Walking Festival, which has evolved from having a Lyttelton Harbour focus to showcasing the diversity of the whole Banks Peninsula. Walks range from “urban” strolls around the historic port town of Lyttelton, to an exploration of areas of significance to tangata whenua, to whole day walks along the “wildside” of Banks Peninsula, to an overnight tramp to aimed at young families.

The Banks Peninsula Walking Festival offers guided walks all over the peninsula in November each year. The guides, all volunteers, bring a huge wealth of knowledge and experience which makes each walk a valuable experience beyond access to tracks, reserves and private land.

The festival is a fantastic opportunity for the Christchurch City Council, Department Of Conservation, the Trust and many other organisations working in the environmental area of Banks Peninsula to highlight new walking tracks in reserves and projects. For example, in 2015 the official Rod Donald hut opening kicked off the festival and Hugh Wilson of Hinewai offered a sneak preview of the Purple Peak Curry Reserve. In 2016 the last weekend of the festival focused on the formal opening of the Te Ara Pātaka walkway combined with a centenary celebration for Harry Ell.

Annual Festival details can be found on the Banks Peninsula Walks website or for more information email bpwalkingfest@gmail.com