Profile
Mauao Adventures provides schools with interactive, educational, and culturally rich programmes on and around Mauao and Tauranga’s waterways. Each year, thousands of students take part in activities that combine water safety, outdoor skills, and local cultural knowledge.
Programmes cater for small classroom groups through to large syndicates, with options for Year 5 and above and a particular focus on Year 7 and older students. Activities range from one-hour sessions to multi-day programmes, allowing schools to build experiences that fit their needs.
Introductory sessions include Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP), Waka Ama, and cultural walks of Mauao. These activities develop confidence, teamwork, and environmental awareness. Packages can combine activities, such as SUP and Waka Ama, or add a guided hikoi for a full day at the beach.
For Year 9 and above, Mauao Adventures offers a four-session programme linked to NCEA Level 2 Achievement Standard 91330. Students progress through advanced paddling techniques, technical turns, buoy races, and water safety, with experiences at locations such as Pilot Bay, Lake McLaren, and Tauranga Harbour. Full-day programmes add cultural learning, marine life discovery, and picnicking.
Older students, including Year 11 and above, can take part in Level 3 Achievement Standard 91501 in SUP racing or SUP surfing. Adventures may extend to offshore paddling, Motuotau (Rabbit Island), Matakana Island, or the Wairoa River, with cultural and environmental workshops on land to complement the water activities.
Schools consistently describe Mauao Adventures as safe, well organised, and culturally meaningful. Teachers note the professionalism of the instructors, who manage both safety and engagement, allowing staff to participate alongside students.
By blending physical activity, water safety, and cultural education, Mauao Adventures offers schools a trusted provider for learning outside the classroom in Tauranga.
