Orton Bradley Park at Charteris Bay in Lyttelton Harbour provides an excellent match with the Trust’s strategic goals for greater access, knowledge and biodiversity. The Park has 650ha of beautiful grounds featuring streamside picnic areas, nature walks, low key camping, protected native bush and heritage buildings available to the public for a small entrance fee.

The Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust and Orton Bradley Park formed a partnership in 2013, with the Trust providing five years of financial support towards the Park’s operational costs. In 2016 this support was extended for another two years. The Trust’s support has enabled the park to employ another staff member all year round giving the manager the opportunity to work on a strategic overview for the park. One of the outcomes of this has been the OBP’s successful bid for a Rata Foundation Social Enterprise grant to explore ways of making the park more financially sustainable. To date the Outdoor Education Centre has been extended giving schools camps more certainty and the venue is also now being used for weddings. Camping is becoming increasingly popular at the park and is enhanced by the biking tracks available. A great café has being opened, closed in winter but open the rest of the year. Other enterprises such as small-scale rural producers will also be explored.

A visit to Orton Bradley Park is highly recommended.