Orokonui ponders winter cuts

Reducing winter opening days from seven to five days is just one of the tough decisions the Otago Natural History Trust may have to make about Orokonui Ecosanctuary in the coming year.

• Orokonui Ecosanctuary wildlife

"We haven't gone into debt yet - a remarkable achievement for two years of operation and a $5.5 million investment."

However, the 8000 visitors in 2011, plus 2000 education programme children and even with the phenomenon that was Sirocco the world-famous kakapo - fell well short of the trust's 25,000-a-year target and provided only 20% of the income needed to run the sanctuary.

Last winter the ecosanctuary hit a "low patch" and staff hours had to be reviewed, he said.

The trust wanted to retain the "fantastic" staff working at the sanctuary, and it was considering reducing the opening days from seven to five this winter, Mr Peat said.

The past year's income was bolstered by donations of $70,000, income from the shop and the increasing popularity of the visitor centre as a corporate and wedding venue, but the trust was "still financially holding its breath", he said.

It had also sought sponsorship for improvements like Sirocco's purpose-built enclosure.

The ecosanctuary had recently received $350,000 over three years from the Government's biodiversity fund to employ rangers and carry out work within the sanctuary.

"It's a good base to work from," Mr Peat said.

To help bring some stability to the ecosanctuary, the trust was also working on sponsorship arrangements, including one which could see transport laid on from the city centre to Orokonui on cruise ship days.

A huge milestone for the ecosanctuary was the first bus visit of a cruise ship contingent, something it had been actively marketing since before the ecosanctuary opened.

Operations manager Chris Baillie said the visitors, mostly German, were very keen to see the wildlife and she hoped it was a sign of things to come.

Another group from the same cruise ship was due to visit Orokonui in February.

"It was fantastic."

The trust would continue to promote the ecosanctuary in the German market and listings in Lonely Planet and Rough Guide travel publications also helped.

However, research into visitor patterns showed Orokonui's main market was visitors from Dunedin or wider Otago and Southland.

"We're selling annual passes and word of mouth is bringing people in," Ms Baillie said.

They were also working on developing their "After Dark" tours, which aimed to give people a chance to see or hear a kiwi.

"If we got one busload from each cruise ship, we'd be much more relaxed about income.

"Like all tourism ventures, we need the numbers in summer to carry us through the winter."

- rebecca.fox@odt.co.nz