Portobello Paddock Pursuit 2015

Over you go!

Ahoy there me hearties! The 2015 Portobello Paddock was an absolute blast once again with plenty of mud, slime and water for everyone! With a damp but warm day on Sunday, organisers were a little worried about the numbers. They needn’t have worried with  over 400 children and adults taking part in the muddy challenge. With proceeds of the event going to Portobello School the organisers were overwhelmed with the generosity of the volunteers, community groups and sponsors who made the 2015 Portobello Paddock Pursuit a great success. There were plenty of challenges in the course to keep everyone on their toes and active, and plenty of the wet stuff to keep everyone happy. Many thanks to Hartley Bulger Patrick for being the photographer for the day (Click on the pictures to see in full size). Look forward to seeing everyone back again next year!

Mud galore

Our event is not possible without the generosity and assistance of our main sponsors; Cycleworld, Portobello Deli, Cartridge World, Sport Otago, Clearwater Contracting and our own Portobello Volunteer Fire Brigade.

Many thanks to these organisations for the donation of prizes; Larnach Castle, The Albatross Centre, Pukekura Penguins, Orokanui Sanctuary, Leap, 1908 Cafe, Tuapeka Print, KMart, Mitre 10, Bunnings, Torpedo 7, Cadburys, Couplands, Video Easy, Mega Zone, Walls Mini Golf, Bike Barn, Inflatable world, Pier 24, Starfish cafe, Salt, Sweets and Treats, and Scentse

Portobello School Beach Clean Up

Scouting for trash

It was a beautiful day in Portobello on the 25th of September and this was Portobello School’s chance to do their bit for Clean Up NZ week. Although just out of the official week our local weather has meant the school have been delayed in getting started. The Year Six children from room five with teacher Sarah Luke did a great job cleaning up the beach area around Latham Bay in Portobello. They also went and fossicked out that hard to get rubbish in the bush behind the local playground. Well done Portobello School, and many thanks for your hard work in keeping our area tidy.

Good job guys

A Mudtastic Pursuit

Getting ready to go

The 2014 Portobello Paddock Pursuit on Sunday 9th of November saw nearly 400 participants run, jump, climb and slither through a challenging course at the Portobello Domain. With a warm day many people brought their deck chairs and picnics and made the pursuit a great family day out. The Portobello Paddock Pursuit has grown from 220 entries in 2013 to 390 in 2014 and is steadily becoming a regular on the family friendly event circuit for Dunedin. So much of the pursuit’s success comes from the hardworking local organising committee who put in so much effort to ensure everyone has fun and the event runs well and safely. The other aspect of the event is the generosity of local businesses and sponsors such as Cycleworld, Cartridge World, Portobello Deli, Portobello Volunteer Fire Brigade, Am I Fit, Sport Otago, Remax Real Estate and so many more. This has been a fantastic fundraiser for Portobello School and a great event for the  Community, we’re looking forward to seeing everyone back next year. (Click on the pictures to see the pictures in a full size viewer).

Many thanks to the following other supporters;

Bronwyn Anderson, Nic & Brian McGrouther, Cross Family, Parkinson Whanau, Steven Clearwater Contracting, Playball, Portobello Commnity Incorporated, Dunedin Ice Hockey, Mitre 10, Leslie Rugby, Chipmunks, Megazone, Bike Barn, Starfish Cafe, Moana Pool, Rebel Sport, K Mart, Dunedin Sports Depot, United Video, Lonestar, Cadburys, Couplands, New World, Torpedo 7, Tuapeka Print and Kellogs.

Otago Peninsula Volcano Walk

SONY DSC

It dawned cool, crisp and clear in Portobello today with a solid frost on the windscreen of the car to remind us that winter still bites. Portobello School have been studying volcanoes and were taking the short climb to the top of Harbour Cone (Hereweka). The cone is a remnant of the volcano that exploded 10-13 million years ago and created the Otago Harbour. After a short steep climb the spectacular views across the Peninsula and harbour are worth the effort, and the whole area was bathed in bright sunshine. Enjoy the pictures by clicking on them for the viewer.