Discovering one of the ‘most special places on Earth’ on an unlikely trip

With the energy of Irwin and the passion of Attenborough (the rapid-fire jokes are his own), Perry Reid is a maverick on a mission. More penguin protector than crocodile hunter, he’s the owner-operator of Natures Wonders, an ecotourism venture on the tip of the Otago Peninsula, just out of Dunedin on New Zealand’s South Island.

“This is one of the most special places on Earth,” says Reid, adjusting his battered hat as we set off in an all-terrain, eight-wheel Argo vehicle. “We can’t save the world, but we can save our own backyard.” And what a backyard it is, all 2275 hectares of it.

“We get seals and sea lions, little blue and yellow-eyed penguins, and up to seven species of albatross,” says Reid, his outstretched arm sweeping towards the steep headlands and long stretches of beach. “But we don’t touch, tag or feed any of them.”

I’ve joined the 3660-passenger Discovery Princess for a 14-night cruise from Sydney to New Zealand visiting the Bay of Islands, Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin. As someone who leans towards smaller, expedition-style cruising, I wasn’t getting my hopes up about having any meaningful wildlife encounters.

One minute after meeting Perry Reid, I’m eating my knitted beanie.

Our shore excursion with Natures Wonders is part of Princess Local Partnerships, a program supporting cultural and conservation projects across Aotearoa, New Zealand. Funded by guest donations that are matched by the cruise line, initiatives range from reviving traditional celestial navigation with Te Kura Waka to supporting Bay Bush Action for the conservation of kiwi birds in the Bay of Islands.

From an elevated platform, we watch NZ fur seal pups suckling from their mothers, while further below, older pups corkscrew in and out of rock pools, playing hide-and-seek amid the waving strands of golden kelp. I could stay here all day, if not for the promise of penguins.

We gather in a timber hide above Penguin Beach, a stretch of sand that Reid has kept free of human footprints for 23 years. Fingers pressed to lips, he opens the hatch of a concealed nesting box to reveal a little blue penguin chick tucked inside.

Reid is a firm advocate for leaving wildlife alone, while recognising that sometimes protection requires intervention. “With Princess’ support we’ve been able to build new nesting boxes, extend our predator-free fences and continue planting native trees,” he says.

“Each of our existing programs has started with local heroes,” says Michael Mihajlov, senior director of destination management at Princess. “It’s about identifying the people and projects that are already in action and have the support of the local community. Effectively, all we are doing is fast-tracking their progress and giving their projects a broader audience.”

On a shore excursion near Picton, we embark on a scenic boat ride through the Marlborough Sounds, its hills and coves perfectly mirrored in the still water.

Docked at Arapaoa Island we meet Mike and Antonia Radon who, through their family-run business Arapawa Blue Pearls, have been farming paua (abalone) pearls in this remote bay for 25 years.

I thought I knew about pearls – formed inside oysters, white in colour – but paua pearls shimmer in startling shades of blue. “We grade according to size, colour, shape and lustre,” says Antonia, handing around a tray of cultured pearls. Like the ocean itself, some are pure cobalt, others swirl with greens and golds.

Beyond producing some of the finest blue pearls in the world, the family are also pioneers of an intensive reseeding project designed to restore wild paua populations.

“After the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake, we reared and released 100,000 baby paua to help rebuild depleted populations,” says Mike, leading us through the hatchery where he talks about the paua as if they are precious newborns.

Cruising north to south, I’ve seen the power of local initiatives helping guests connect more deeply with communities, while bringing about positive change.

And Princess isn’t done yet, with a new partnership to save the threatened crested grebe now on the drawing board. The plan is to build artificial floating islands on lakes in the Canterbury High Country for grebes to nest on. A bird with punk-rock hair, chilling on its own predator-free pontoon? Crikey, I’d like to see that!

THE DETAILS

CRUISE
An interior cabin on a 13-day New Zealand cruise on Royal Princess departing Sydney December 5, 2026, from $2099 a person, twin share. Add on Premier Package (unlimited drinks, speciality dining, Wi-Fi and more) for $129 a day. See princess.com

The writer was a guest of Princess Cruises.