Manawa—Wāhine Outdoor Pursuits

01/05/2026

It’s here!!

We’re excited to share Wāhine on the Water — a three-day fly fishing weekend in Southland, NZ, created in collaboration with Stray South x Manawa.

📍 Montana Flat, Southland
📅 6–8 November
👯‍♀️ Limited to 8 wāhine

This is a guided, introductory experience for women who are curious about fly fishing or want to build confidence in the outdoors.

Over the weekend, you’ll be guided through the fundamentals in a relaxed, supportive environment — learning things like:
• Fly casting basics and time on the river
• How to read water and understand trout behaviour
• Gear, knots, and what you actually need to get started
• How to read weather, topo maps and river levels

Alongside the fishing, there’s space to slow things down and connect through mindfulness practices and gorgeous shared food around the fire.

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This all-inclusive weekend includes;
• Tipi (hot tent) accommodation from
• All Meals (beautifully catered)
• Guiding & gear
• Fishing license
• Transfers from Queenstown airport
• Goodie bags and take home resources.

Have we convinced you to join us yet?

Tickets go on sale Tuesday, 5th May, mark your calendars! ⚡️

25/03/2026

Meet Alesha—our next Manawa Nights speaker and the first of our Virtual Series!

Alesha Tomasi is a West Coast-based hunter, gatherer, and entrepreneur, best known for sharing her “hunt, harvest, and cook” lifestyle across social media. Growing up in New Zealand’s rugged outdoors, she developed a deep connection to sourcing her own food and living off the land.

She is the director of Daughters of the Wild, a fast-growing community empowering women to step into hunting, fishing, and self-sufficiency. Alongside this, Alesha runs her own business and works closely with leading outdoor and lifestyle brands.

Through storytelling, education, and real-life experiences, Alesha inspires others to reconnect with nature, build resilience, and take pride in putting wild food on the table—often alongside her partner Mat and their well-known pack goat, Gavin.

This is a free, online event, join us!
April 22, 6.30pm—7.30pm
Register here!
https://events.humanitix.com/manawa-nights-with-alesha-tomasi

21/03/2026

WORKSHOP ANNOUNCMENT
Bush & Banter – Sun 12th April | TECT Park, Bay of Plenty

A morning in the bush designed to grow your outdoor confidence.

✅ Learn the essentials of navigation, weather & gear.
🔥 Practice setting up camp gear
🥘 Shared wild kai
🥾 Short bush walk

Whether you’re new to the outdoors or just want to brush up on your skills, this is a relaxed, hands-on intro with plenty of practical takeaways.

👉 Arrival Centre, TECT Park, BOP
👉 Sun 12th April, 9am-1pm (approx)
👉 $70 pp incl. GST (includes food)

Find out more here;

https://events.humanitix.com/bush-and-banter-74kcxp5a

22/02/2026

You asked, so here it is—a list of what I took into Fiordland for 5 nights.

If you'd like more details on brands I choose, food I take and how I layer then come to our next Bush & Banter workshop coming up on April 12th at TECT park. We'll also chat about how to read Topo50 maps and basics to weather map reading. I'd love to see you there!

Sunday, April 12th
9-1pm
Arrival Centre, TECT Park
$70 Wild lunch included

Get your ticket here — https://events.humanitix.com/bush-and-banter-74kcxp5a?token=undefined

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Fiordland Packing List;
70L Pack
Pack liner
x2 Man Tent
Sleeping Mat
Sleeping Bag + Liner
Pillow
Head torch
PLB
Battery pack
Cooker + Gas
Spoon + Cup
Toilet paper
Toiletries
Knife
Head net
Gaiters
Walking Pole
Camel Pack
Camp Shoes
First Aid Kit
Towel
Boots
Gloves
Base + mid layers
Wet weather outer layer
Cap
Beanie
Socks
Bino's
5 nights of food, snacks and electrolytes

21/01/2026

Meet Laura — our next Manawa Nights speaker. Laura Kuggeleijn

Laura is (amongst other things) an art school teacher and artist, a huntress, a spearo, and a podcaster. Whether she’s creating, teaching, harvesting, or floating in the ocean froth, Laura moves through life with curiosity, reverence, and deep connection to place.

Laura will be sharing her personal journey with us—how creativity, hunting, and the ocean have shaped who she is, and how these passions don’t compete, but beautifully collide. This is a kōrero about following what lights you up, and allowing seemingly different parts of yourself to exist in harmony.

Come along for an evening of reflection, inspiration, and honest yarns.

FEB 18
6—8.30pm
$25
GET YOUR TICKETS HERE
https://events.humanitix.com/manawa-nights-with-spearo-laura-kuggeleijn

Tickets are limited so get in quick!

🏠 The venue is still to be confirmed but will be in The Mount or Tauranga area.
🍿 Light snacks and a drink on arrival will be included in your ticket price.

31/12/2025

Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu — A bird needs feathers to fly.

This whakataukī speaks to the notion that with skills, support, and preparation we can feel empowered to take flight.

The goal is that Manawa creates space for you to develop those skills, offer support and prepare you to be empowered to take flight into whatever venture you embark on.

Wishing you all a prosperous 2026, we can't wait to share our calendar of events with you all, dropping Weds 21st Jan.

25/12/2025

Music is a big source of energy for Manawa—it has the ability to create calm or chaos and we're here for it all. We've started our very own set of playlists—the soundtracks to your adventures from bush to beach.

This time of year always calls for some classic kiwi tunes gracing our speakers with the likes of Six60, Coterie, The Black Seeds, and L.A.B (the list goes on). Or perhaps a little nostalgia with Th' Dudes, Dragons and Supergroove.

Whether you're heading off on a roadie, or hanging in the backyard with the sprinklers on, our first playlist for summer is here. Get amongst and enjoy! 😎

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5qtljLISCKb1apvtbdsgba?si=TUZIGNihR5mJnZKuYDcpSw

23/12/2025

Last week I sent out our December newsletter with a reflection on the year that’s been.

Manawa was born from a desire to reconnect—with myself, my immediate environment, and with others—after experiencing burnout and its physical impacts. I was craving a way to integrate nature back into my life with more joy, ease, and intention.

In February, after the annual Wāhine & Wapiti trip that I co-organise with Roy Sloan for the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation, my partner Hamish said to me, “You’re so much more yourself after you’ve been in the bush.” That simple comment helped me connect the dots, and the shape of Manawa began to emerge.

A much more considered approach to business, by placing my health and wellness at the centre, I have been able to let things simmer and unfold organically. A decision I don't regret.

Manawa has become more than I imagined. It’s given me back my passion for entrepreneurship, something I wasn’t sure I’d ever return to after closing my last business. The community that has shown up has been incredible, and I’m deeply humbled by the wāhine I’ve already connected with and the support for this kaupapa.

I keep coming back to the meaning of the kupu 'Manawa'; the heartbeat, pulse, breath, and connection to life itself. Heart-centred, intentional spaces that nurture us back to our innate being. I’m so excited to continue creating workshops and events that honour this intention.

If 2025 was about laying foundations and finding clarity, then 2026 is the year Manawa really comes into its own. We’re starting the year with a brand glow-up—same logo, just a level-up in presence and content, as we grow this community and create more space to learn, expand, and explore.

I can’t wait to share the 2026 calendar with you, including some very special events and partnerships. If you have ideas for what you’d love to see Manawa doing, I’m all ears.

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of the journey so far. I hope you have a safe and relaxing festive season and we'll see you all very soon.

Britt ✌🏼

If you'd like to read more on my reflection of 2025, you can read my latest blog;
https://www.manawaoutdoors.nz/blog/a-year-to-simmer

01/12/2025

We LOVED hosting the Women’s Adventure Film Tour, a huge mihi to Mel for hosting us we can’t wait to do it again in the future!

As we get ready to wrap up the year, we’ve had some absolute top-shelf events at The Village Community Cinema this November.
Last week we were joined by the awesome Manawa—Wāhine Outdoor Pursuits, with their warm & receptive audience being treated to awe-inspiring adventure films from across the globe, alongside generous spot-prizes & a great night out!

13/11/2025

We’re proud to announce Manawa will be hosting a screening of the Women's Adventure Film Tour—120mins of inspiring stories from ladies doing epic things across the globe.

From the Adventure Entertainment team;

"The Women’s Adventure Film Tour® (WAFT) returns for its 9th year, celebrating extraordinary women and their thrilling adventures. Get ready for an adrenaline-fueled showcase of courage and triumph that will ignite your spirit. Don’t miss this unforgettable adventure!

Every year, our unique films are carefully chosen to show awesome women achieving their personally adventurous goals. Being adventurous doesn’t always mean being the fastest, going the highest, or doing the most extreme things. Adventure for most of us is stepping outside our comfort zone and climbing our own Everest. The films showcase real stories about women from a variety of cultures and sports around the world."

So, grab your mates, daughters and sisters and come on down to Tauranga's cutest cinema for ladies night!

Doors open at 5.45pm, screening starts at 6.30pm. The snack bar will be open and we have some epic spot prizes up for grabs!!

Get your tickets here; https://events.humanitix.com/women-adventure-film-tour

Film Rating; Exempt From Classification