Peel Forest Outdoor Centre is a Registered Charitable Trust that runs outdoor skills training, outdoor recreation and education programmes and provides education for sustainability. Peel Forest Outdoor Centre was founded by Wayne Keenan. Wayne was passionate about education for youth in the outdoors as he saw the benefits this could have to self and social development, and environmental awareness. Since 2017 Peel Forest Outdoor Centre have also been running 5 and 7 day journey or leadership developmental programmes for youth.
Peel Forest is an Activity Provider of the Adventurous Journey Training, Adventurous Journey and Gold Residential sections of the Award. With expertly trained staff, motivated to create exciting and engaging adventures, you will have the opportunity of exploration and adventure in the captivating Peel Forest Park Scenic Reserve in South Canterbury, adjacent to the Rangitata River and at the foothills of the Southern Alps.
You will be inspired and challenged by the adventures on offer, and ultimately you will return home enriched by the uniquely New Zealand environment you’ve explored. With safe, affordable and quality outdoor and environmental programmes, Peel Forest is a wonderful Adventurous Journey Provider to enable your Award progress.
Peel Forest provides the potential to:
- Challenge yourself, learn new skills and build up a store of new confidence
- Experience high adrenaline adventures within a context of safety
- Learn about the environment as you actively engage with it
Peel Forest offer Adventurous Journeys in either tramping or rafting. They pride themselves in offering quality, safe, and inspiring expeditions with students working alongside an instructor in groups of 4-7 to be involved in planning and choosing an expedition.
For tramping Peel Forest are fortunate to have Peel Forest, Mt Somers, Hakatere, and Te Kahui Kaupeka Conservation parks at their doorstep. Rafting journeys range from the Rangitata, Waimakariri, Grey or Clarence rivers.
If you have a group of 4-7 students, they are flexible to work in with dates that work for you. Alternatively, Peel Forest offer set Duke of Edinburgh weeks during the school holidays in April, October and over the summer months. See here for upcoming events.
Gold Residential Project
The Eddy Out Programme is a 7-day, 7-night adventure designed for 16–18-year-olds. We’ve had two successfully funded private courses run so far and would like to now open up registration for the public, with the first one scheduled for July 2024.
All the information and registration is available on our website here:
Eddy Out Programme | Sponsored Programmes | Peel Forest Outdoor Centre (peelforestoutdoors.org.nz)
