THE FUTURE IS WILD™ @ THE HILLOCKS
EXPERIENCE
ENTERING THE VR VIEWING HIDE
On entering the first hide, you are shown the VR headsets and how to fit them. Then the experience begins.
EXPERIENCE GATEWAY
Our visitor centre is the gateway to the Future is Wild experience and the place to gather before your scheduled experience begins. Here your guide welcomes you and together, with up to 14 other travelers, you make your way to the first VR viewing hide.
A VIRTUAL LANDSCAPE
An introductory story of the formation history of Aotearoa/New Zealand is interrupted by the sound of compressed air being released and two extra-large sliding doors opening. The viewers’ headsets reveal the forested landscape of The Hillocks that existed thousands of years ago.
THE MOA STORY
Then moa appear in the landscape and walk towards you, while pouakai – the world’s largest ever eagle – swoops above, before diving down toward you and the moa.
WALKING THE LANDSCAPE
There’s time to explore the VR environment and learn more about these birds, both virtually and in conversations with your guide.Then we follow a virtual moa along a trail to the second viewing hide. Near the viewing hide we stop and look at a giant rock resting beside us. How did it get here?
HOW THE HILLOCKS WAS FORMED
In the hide the story of how the Hillocks were formed, when part of the mountain broke off, is revealed. This hide looks directly onto the Humboldt Range and the sheer cliffs where this occured.
Our view of the mountains is framed by the forest. In the distance, as the landscape starts to shake, boulders shear away leaving a cloud of dust.
The boulders come crashing towards us. These giant boulders settle almost at our feet.
And in time shrubs and trees begin to grow on the mounds, with a layer of soil forming over them. And the moa, kiwi and kea return
WALKING TO THE THIRD VIEWING HIDE
We then walk across the flat grass lands surrounded by hills. We cross a foot bridge, and walk around a corner where we find the third viewing-hide.
THE GLACIER STORY
At this hide the story is told of how glaciers shaped these mountains and spectacular valleys, and how today it feed the clear waters of the river.
Through the headsets we see the forest and the birds in the distance.
Suddenly we are hit by a snowstorm.The blizzard continues and time speeds up.
As the snow settles our point of view changes. We find ourselves standing on a glacier 300 vertical meters above our starting point.
When the storm clears, the ice begins to melt revealing the lakes and sheer valley walls, carved by ice. The landscape begins to change. First grasses and shrubs start to grow followed by beech forest. Lush ferns and undergrowth spring into view. Then moa return, along with kiwi and kea.
A HIGH VANTAGE POINT
We are guided up a graded gully path to stand high up on the side of one of the hillocks. There are seats for us to rest and view the scenery surrounding us, as we also reflect on what we’ve imagined through our VR experiences.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
We walk down the track to the creek, stopping to look at several kowhai that survived the settlers’ axe. Across the bridge we arrive at a cluster of shelters, which surround a large oval space and a small crop of native seedlings.
PLANTING A SEED
We’re asked to choose a seedling before finding a seat and putting on our VR headsets.
WATCH YOUR SEEDLING GROW A FOREST
Our guide then asks us to consider what could be different in the future, and how we could help to achieve this. They ask us to look at the seedling we’ve chosen. We see its roots grow down to the water running through the streams below. We see a trunk and branches grow tall to provide shelter and food for insects and birds. Fallen leaves nourish the soil and its microscopic life.
Around us, we see the trees chosen by others also growing, and together becoming a large, connected forest.
A BETTER FUTURE - A ONCE AGAIN EXPANSIVE FOREST
Our guide explains the conservation projects at the Hillocks and elsewhere in the community. We learn about how these projects reduce carbon and waste and inspire our tamariki and young to make a difference. We take our time to visit the nursery and learn about the native plants being raised.
TAKING TIME IN THE NURSERY
We explore the interactive displays with each section focusing on a specific theme: restoring nature, reducing carbon and reducing waste. Together we learn ways to grow a place where people and nature can thrive together.
