Horowhenua/ Kapiti Branch

Horowhenua Kapiti GSA Branch AGM 2026

Our Next Members Meeting is the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday 28 May 2026 from 11:00 am, at the Plateau Function Centre, Pukeko Street, Parkwood Village off Ngarara Road, Waikanae.

Our guest speaker is Kathy Ombler who will talk about the Ōtari-Wilton's Bush Centenary.

Kathy is a Wellington-based freelance writer with a background in conservation and outdoor recreation. She is a Trustee of the Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush Trust, which supports Wellington City Council with the management of Ōtari. 

Ōtari-Wilton's Bush, set alongside the Wellington suburb of Wilton, is a Six Star Garden of International Significance. It comprises Wilton's Bush Reserve (100ha of mature native forest, some of its original northern rātā podocarp forest), and Ōtari Native Botanic Garden.

The garden was established in 1926 by eminent botanist, Dr Leonard Cockayne. He was concerned about the large-scale destruction of native species through land clearance and farming development. His vision was to bring threatened plants from throughout New Zealand and its offshore islands to Ōtari, and to protect them from extinction. This vision remains central to the management of Ōtari in 2026, the centenary of its establishment.