Back to page

Project Island Song’s 12ks of Christmas - Team Wētā Walkers/Ruru Runners

  • They did it!

      15 December 2025
    Posted by: Project Island Song

    Huge congratulations and thanks to the 20 absolute heroes who completed their 12ks of Christmas challenges on Friday!

    It's been an immense effort from all of them, covering huge distance in the unseasonably hot early December weather.

    Alongside their physical efforts, they have all done an incredible job of engaging with their community and networks, raising more than $21,600 towards the restoration of the islands. This is a huge contribution, breezing past the $15,000 raised last year, and the fundraising page will still be open for donations until 31st December.

    Massive thanks are also due to everyone who has donated to support our participants. What an awesome way to end the year!

    Check out this little video we've put together to celebrate their efforts. Meri Kirihimete!

      2 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

    • 15/12/2025 by Jo Hay

      Awesome video. I'm so grateful to have been a part of this mahi.

    • 15/12/2025 by Hana

      Well done everyone..,. Meanage....

  • Day 12 and we're done.... and all we can say is WOW!

      12 December 2025
    Main image

    Our final walks/runs are complete, Alex and Laura started off early as the sun was rising and Abby completed her 12ks between sunny surf sessions.

    But WOW... what can we say except a HUGE thank you to everyone who has taken part this year, to everyone who has donated to our team page and to those who have donated to all of the other participants. Your support and chats along the routes have motivated us all on what have been some very warm and tough days.

    We can't believe we're almost at a collective $21,000 raised for Project Island Song - THANK YOU!!

    Have you been thinking about joining the fun and taking part in 2026? If so, or you just want to find out more get in touch via info@projectislandsong.co.nz and tell us you want to get notified with the details for next year. Don't forget you can be based anywhere in the world so don't let your location put you off.

    Until next year, thank you and Meri Kirihimete from team Wēta walkers/Ruru runners.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Day 11 almost there

      12 December 2025
    Main image

    Another hot one, we all did our runs or walks at different times of the day. Laura early, but still a hot one running up the hills, Alex went mid-morning and found a new friend along the way and Abby waited until the cool evening air to finish her 11kms, and what a beautiful sunset she saw at the top of Maiki.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • One day to go!

      11 December 2025
    Posted by: Project Island Song
    Main image

    Tomorrow is the final day, and it’s a big one for all our participants. Those who’ve been building up from 1km will have their biggest run yet, while I’m sure the 12km is not feeling any easier for those who’ve done it 11 times already!

    A few highlights:

    • Jacqui was interviewed on RNZ talking about taking part in the 12ks dressed in her vintage clothing collection.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/nights/audio/2019015751/walking-144-kilometres-in-impeccable-vintage

    • The Northern Advocate ran a story including a focus on Jo’s efforts to clean up 12km of litter in Taipa. Jo (now joined by her husband) has been collecting 5 black bags of rubbish every day!

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/on-the-up-locals-walk-run-and-pick-up-litter-for-bay-of-islands-fundraiser/OYPBELMJEVCK5CNVBQ6GYKZL5U/

    • Cam has now run 252km over the past 11 days, which is the distance by road from Russell to central Auckland. Mind-blowing!

    • Just to make things a little hotter, Laura (the penguin), Abby (dolphin), and Maryanne (bat), completed some of their kms in costume at the Paihia and Russell Christmas parades!

    Thank you so much to the 281 people who have already donated so generously.

    Wouldn’t it be an incredible boost to the absolute legends taking part in this if we could get to $18k, $19k, or even the full $20k tomorrow?!

    Please support them and help us to get there however you can - chip in a few dollars, or share their efforts far and wide to encourage others!

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Day 10 Beaches and bug hotels

      11 December 2025
    Main image

    Today all of us split our walk/runs into two 5kms across the day. But that meant beautiful bush walks passing the bug hotels on the Russell cycle track and some beach views in town.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Day 9 Urupukapuka & strolls along the boardwalk

      9 December 2025
    Main image

    Day nine saw the team running/walking along the boardwalk at Orongo Bay and even some time out on Urupukapuka completing some Korora (penguin) monitoring. Thanks Jack, Ella & Kat for joining Laura on some of her walk today.

      2 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

    • 09/12/2025 by Jo Hay

      Doing a great job with your updates! Love reading them, and checking out the pics.

    • 10/12/2025 by Laura Rumsey

      Thanks Jo! You're doing an amazing job with your roadside clean up, ka pai! Thanks for supporting Project Island Song :)

  • Day 8 sunset evening walks

      9 December 2025
    Main image

    All three of us waited until later in the day for our 8kms to ensure we were out of the heat! Still pretty warm though!

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Day 7 Rays & the Russell Christmas Parade

      8 December 2025
    Main image

    Day 7 and the festive spirit is back with the second Christmas Parade of the weekend, this time in Russell/Kororareka & a cool ray sighting in Opua.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Day 6 sunshine & Pohutukawas

      8 December 2025
    Main image

    Woodland walks & seaside strolls for day 6 all rounded off with a beautiful pohutukawa...summer is here!

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Day 5 - Paihia Christmas Parade

      5 December 2025
    Main image

    Fun and dancing along the way as part of our 5kms today. Paihia Christmas Parade kicking off the celebrations in the Bay.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Day 4 more rainbows and a loop to Waitangi

      4 December 2025
    Main image

    Day four there were morning rainbows on Laura's run, Alex headed out for a 5km run and Abby headed over to Paihia to do a loop to to Waitangi and back.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Big chairs, rainbows and boardwalk weka

      3 December 2025
    Main image

    Day three and Abby headed out in the sunshine up to the big chair then home in the pouring rain. Laura & Alex headed out along the boardwalk at Orongo Bay sharing it with a little weka, rainbows on the way home.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • We just reached our $12,000 goal on Day 3!

      3 December 2025
    Posted by: Project Island Song
    Main image

    Oh my goodness - after an absolutely colossal day yesterday for Give a Little Day, with more than $6,600 donated in 24 hours, we can’t quite believe that we have just reached our initial goal of $12,000 on the morning of Day 3!

    Thank you so much to everyone who has already donated to support our amazing runners and walkers. We’re completely blown away by the number of people getting behind the 12ks this year.

    A big welcome to our newest participants - Elsie, Kevin, Michelle, Rachel, Sandra, Sarah, and Steph.

    We’ve now got a whopping 20 people taking part which is fantastic, and between them they will be walking or running a combined 2,166km by 12th December!

    This is longer than the length of New Zealand (1,600km), and just slightly more than the distance between Sydney and Auckland (2,156km)!

    What now? Well with 9 days of walking and running still to go, we have just raised the overall goal to $20,000.

    Can we get there? We really don’t know but we hope so! This would be a truly phenomenal amount of money to raise for our collective mahi on the islands.

    Please continue to get behind all our participants, especially as the feet start to blister and the legs begin to tire! Spread the word to friends and family, walk alongside them (literally or figuratively), and be cheerleaders for their awesome efforts. Your support will keep them going.

    Spare an extra thought for all our participants today who may have to time their runs/walks well to avoid getting very soggy!

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Weta day 2...

      2 December 2025
    Main image

    Day two complete and weta day it's been out working on the islands, not only did we get to complete our walk with co-12ker Grace, we also had Carola along for the ride...oh and got to see a couple of wetapunga along the way.

    Back on the mainland Alex completed his kms along the boardwalk.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Day one underway...

      1 December 2025
    Main image

    Laura & Alex met up with some of the other participants in Russell to kick off the first day of the 12ks of Christmas, walking along one of the many great walking tracks in Russell. And Abby was out in the ngahere with the ladies from Bay Bush Action seeing the diversity of ferns and other small plant spcies as they clearerd the track and collected sound monitors for pekapeka (bats) on the way home.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment