Whānau Snap Up the Challenge

Matariki Whānau Day took place on Sunday 25 June, the finale to four weeks of fantastic events around Tauranga which included live performances, exhibitions, nature walks and celestial navigation in celebration of the Māori New Year.

Sport Bay of Plenty were proud to attend Whānau Day, offering resources, information and a number of interactive challenges, including Mauao Wero.

Mauao Wero, which means Mount Challenge, was created as a fun, free, family activity encouraging whanau to explore on and around mighty Mauao. Armed with clues and a smartphone, participants searched for signs, climbed stairs, and created sculptures on the beach showing what Matariki meant to them.

After snapping a photo of each completed challenge, participants went in the draw to win some incredible prizes, thanks to the Mount Hot Pools, Event Cinemas and Smiths Sport Shoes.

It was great to see so many families out enjoying the Matariki celebrations and taking part in Mauao Wero. There were some really excited kids, who proudly showed us their selfies and photos of their sand creations.

It is so important to remain active during the cooler months, and it was pleasing to see so many people keen to get involved and enjoying being outdoors. The fact that families were taking part in the activity together was even more heart-warming – to see people exploring, being active, and making memories as a whānau is fantastic.

In addition to Mauao Wero, families that visited the Sport Bay of Plenty stand were able to get their hearts racing with skipping ropes and balls, and many took part in the kite flying activities on offer, thanks to the Matariki Whānau Day organisers.

Whānau were also encouraged to test their knowledge on the sugar content of drinks with a short challenge that involved selecting from a range of sugar bags in various sizes and pairing them with the drink that contained that amount of sugar. Many people were shocked to realise how much sugar is hidden in drinks – particularly with orange juice.

Sport Bay of Plenty are passionate about promoting fun, family friendly physical activities and, though Mauao Wero is over, the next opportunity to take part in an active outdoor challenge is just around the corner with Colour Quest.

Taking place during the Term2/3 school holidays, this interactive social media photo challenge showcases all the gorgeous winter colours of our region's outdoor recreational sites, provides extra motivation to get out and about, and is a fun way to learn about the cultural and conservational aspects of the Bay of Plenty. Check it out at www.virtuallyontrack.co.nz/colourquest

- SunLive