Welcome to Banks Peninsula, home of The Hector’s dolphins and eco-tourism pioneers Black Cat Cruises

Monthly Archives: March 2017

Akaroa New Zealand

AKAROA HARVEST FESTIVAL TOMORROW

Posted on by Black Cat
30
Mar

Something for the weekend…and your taste buds!

Tomorrow (Saturday), Akaroa will play host to some of New Zealand’s finest chefs, all with ties to Akaroa, who will be cooking and serving dishes inspired by local Banks Peninsula produce at the Akaroa Harvest Festival;

– Darren Wright from Chillingworth Road,

– Paul Howells from Twenty Seven Steps,

– Matt Dickie from Coopers & Co,

– Craig Martin from Annandale Luxury Lodge, and

– Akaroa’s resident Spaniard Fran Sansano Anaya who will be cooking his famous Seafood Paella.

There will be two masterclasses over the course of the day;

– 11am Darren Wright, who will be showcasing his lamb dish that he will be cooking on the day, and

– 1pm Lou Bentley from the Akaroa Cooking School showcasing Akaroa salmon.

The famous cake auction will take place around 1.30pm with all proceeds going to the Akaroa Health Hub. Also, if you have any spare produce (fruit, vegetables, chutneys, jams etc) you would like to donate then please bring it along on the day to place on the community table again with proceeds going to the Health Hub.

This year’s festival is being held in the gorgeous gardens of Stew and Jos Howden at Potters Croft – 57 Rue Grehan.

Entry to the event is free and visitors will be able to purchase the chef’s dishes from 11am onward. Each dish will come with a recipe card so you can then purchase the necessary ingredients from the market in order to recreate it at home.

All of the stallholders from the Akaroa Farmers Market will be there from 10am for your fresh produce, coffee fix, baked treats and gelato along with local wines to enjoy with the food and live music to keep you entertained throughout the day.

There is even a supervised kid’s area with entertainment so parents can fully enjoy their day out. The weather forecast is looking fantastic so head on down for a wonderful day celebrating beautiful Peninsula produce.

For easier access to the venue at Potters Croft, there is a free shuttle service from the recreation ground in Akaroa, where there is ample car parking or it is a gentle 10 minute stroll up rue Grehan from the Rue Lavaud turn off.

Those travelling from Christchurch can catch the Akaroa Shuttle put on by Red Bus at a special cost of $40 return (using the promo code: harvest). This service departs at 8.30am from the Christchurch Museum on Rolleston Ave.

Gates open at 10am and the festival will finish up around 3pm. Don’t forget to bring a chiller bag for all of your goodies. Come along for a great day of fun, entertainment, fabulous food and local wines. See you there!!

Black Cat News

WHATS THE #1 VOTED BUCKET LIST ACTIVITY IN NEW ZEALAND? HINT: IT’S IN AKAROA

Posted on by Black Cat
15
Mar

AKAROA HARBOUR’S DOLPHIN SWIM IS TOP PICK FOR AUSSIES HOLIDAYING IN NZ

A public poll has revealed that Australians consider swimming with Hector’s dolphins in Akaroa Harbour as number one on their New Zealand bucket list of experiences.

More than 18,000 Australians voted in the online poll hosted by tour and attractions aggregator Experience OZ and NZ. Black Cat Cruise’s swimming with Hector’s dolphins in Banks Peninsula’s Akaroa Harbour came out on top of the 100 experiences listed.

The Black Cat team are “over the moon? with the result, Chief Executive Paul Milligan said.

“This special recognition follows on from a successful year at the tourism awards and just reinforces the uniqueness of what we do.

Black Cat won the Business Excellence Award (less than $6 million turnover) at the 2016 New Zealand Tourism Awards.

“Swimming with the Hector’s dolphins is an incredible experience and one that can only be done here in Akaroa, Milligan said.

Popularity of Black Cat’s dolphin swim has been increasing steadily, with over 10,000 people taking part in the experience annually, of which more than 10 per cent were Australians. Demand has sparked the need to extend tour times into the winter seson, allowing locals and visitors to swim with the Hector’s dolphins year round.

Big News – We’re Swimming All Year Round!

“Following last year’s upgrade to our facilities, for the first time since before the earthquakes we feel that we can offer a world-class experience all year round? Milligan said.

The results of the vote didn’t come as a surprise to the Chairman of Akaroa District Promotions (ADP) Andrew Dalglish.

“Where else can you swim with the world’s smallest and rarest dolphin in a drowned volcano? he said.

“The experience will only be enhanced, too, as the marine reserve develops and flourishes.

“Black Cat has a large presence in town, and the fact they will now run dolphin swim experiences during the winter months will continue their valuable contribution to the area throughout the year, Dalglish added.

Other popular New Zealand experiences, such as cruising Fiordland’s Sounds and the Lord of the Rings tours, were among the top ten. Experience Oz and NZ worked with local New Zealand tourism bodies and tour operators to create a comprehensive list of 100 must-do adventures, from which the public was asked to vote for their own essential New Zealand experience.

“We are delighted that we received a massive level of participation from Aussies sharing their thoughts on what would be their ideal dream New Zealand experience, and are happy for the team at Black Cat Cruises who offer what’s been called ‘one of the most magical wildlife encounters in the world’, Matt Hobbs, marketing manager of Experience OZ and NZ, said.

“Our goal for the campaign was to emphasise the extensive range of unique experiences New Zealand has to offer – many of which cannot be done in Australia – in order to inspire Aussie travellers to take their next holiday across the ditch rather than to more distant overseas travel destinations.

Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism has just finished two marketing campaigns in Australia in collaboration with Tourism New Zealand and the Christchurch International Airport.

Akaroa remains a popular destination for Australian visitors, Angela Gordon, General Manager Marketing at Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism, said.

“In Australia, you might have to travel a long way to do an activity like Black Cat’s dolphin experience, but once you’re in Christchurch, it’s just so close and accessible.

“Australians are Canterbury’s largest visitor market. It’s great news for the team at Black Cat – to be recognised as offering a unique attraction that people can share with family and friends.

#PODSQUAD

Don’t forget that you can also win your very own private Swimming With Dolphins experience in Akaroa for you and up to 9 friends! Simply follow this link and upload a pic of you and your mates . Entries close March 31st, 2017.
About the poll
Experience Oz and NZ’s poll ran from 23 January 2017 until 20 February 2017 and received more than 18,000 votes in total. Voting was open to all Australians 18 years and over.
A random-draw prize offered to one poll participant includes a seven-day trip to New Zealand for two, with flights, accommodation and a handful of top experiences included in the voting options.