Ōkārito wetlands and wharf shed

Ōkārito

Client:
Department of Conservation, West Coast
Project date: Wetlands 2012
Shed - 2015 
Graphic Design: Goanna Design 

Objective:
Orientate and interpret the value of the Ōkārtio lagoon, its outstanding natural heritage, and wetland values. Create a kayak self-guide that enlightens people on the various routes taken up the lagoon, and illustrate wildlife and plants en route using identifiable floating buoys as landscape makers.  

Within the old wharf shed provide a visual exposé of historical artworks and visuals with complementary texts on the history of the wharf, the port town, gold mining mania, the flax and silver pine industries, and the difficulties of getting ships in and out over the Ōkārito bar.     

Process:
Collaboration with locals for immersive historical research and writing was undertaken as well as site visits on the lagoon with the local kayak company and DOC to ascertain key themes and stories for the self-guided lagoon trip and wetlands features. An illustrator was engaged to recreate scenes, wildlife and plants on the lagoon. The graphic design linked all the wetland components together with its own brand and colours and likewise, the style used for the wharf banners picked up on these designs.  

Production:
A series of interpretation presentations focusing on the ‘value of wetlands’ theme was produced including an orientation panel at the lagoon near the wharf shed, a waterproof self-guide booklet to complement kayak trips up the lagoon, a ‘glaciers to wetlands’ brochure, and a wetlands values set of panels installed around a window view to the lagoon in the wharf shed. A panel was also created for the roadside edge of Lake Wahapo further north.      

Within the wharf shed a set of seven hanging banners and leather embossed old-style flip file, sharing the story of the washed-up whale and its journey to the Canterbury Museum, set the scene of life and events in Ōkārito in the 19th and early 20th century. Props such as a barrow and some flax fibre help to recreate the wharf scene.