Urban Development

Auckland straddles the Auckland volcanic field, which has produced about 90 volcanic eruptions from 50 volcanoes in the last 90,000 years, and sits between the Waitakere and Hunua ranges, on and around an isthmus, less than two kilometres wide at its narrowest point. Maori settled the area, valued for its fertile soil, easy access to the sea for transport and its rich food supply and later, the easily defended volcanic cones, around 1350.

After the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in February 1840 the new Governor of New Zealand, William Hobson, chose the area as his new capital though that role passed to Wellington in 1865. Trams and railway lines shaped Auckland's rapid expansion in the early 20th century but soon the dominance of the motor vehicle emerged and continues to this day. Arterial roads and motorways have become both defining and geographically dividing features of the urban landscape. The Auckland urban area with a population of nearly 1 500 000 (a third of New Zealand’s total) is the largest in the country.

Good urban planning is the basis of happy communities. How do New Zealand's urban centres measure up?

Choice of activities

• Walk up Mt Eden for an overview of the city including its zoning
• Visit the Sky Tower 
• Make field sketches and compare views with old photos
• Take a walking tour of the CBD to appreciate the development of Auckland from the late 1800s till the present
• Take a bus tour of the city and suburbs, including visits to three or four different types of residential area. Discuss the urbanization processes; characteristics and causes of urban decline and regeneration. 
• Collect data, for example along a transect through CBD
• Enjoy a presentation by Regional or Local Council planner.

New Zealand Certificate of Educational Achievement

Geography

• AS 91241 2.2 Demonstrate geographic understanding of an urban pattern.

FAQ

Q1. Why do teachers choose to tour with Learning Journeys?

Using an outside provider like Learning Journeys allows you to avoid stress and save time to focus on the core demands of teaching and have more time with your family and friends.

• Trips are well tried and tested and our local knowledge, New Zealand-wide, is extensive. • We’ll facilitate your trip as well as planning, recce-ing AND booking it (including transport, food and accommodation). Have as much or as little input as you want.
• Our facilitators are secondary geography or science teachers with years of classroom as well as EOTC experience.
• Trips are curriculum linked and can include NCEA assessment tasks.
• RAMS forms, parents letters, gear lists and worksheets developed and provided for you.
• We’re Qualmarked (Tourism New Zealand has checked us out as a safe, professional, company) and Dept. of Conservation approved.

Q2. Does it cost more for Learning Journeys to organise and run my school's science and geography trips?

Yes it does cost a little more per student. However, you need to factor in the time you'll save by using Learning Journeys. You will also save the cost of relief for staff who would otherwise have come from your school, since Learning Journeys will provide one or more facilitators who will contribute to staff-student ratios.

Q3. What about risk management?

Safety is always paramount in our trip planning and delivery. We are acutely aware of the responsibility of being entrusted with other people’s children. We will provide you with RAMS forms for all activities included in your programme.

Our Health and Safety Plan deals with every aspect of our operations and training. Hazard identification is carried out for every new activity and a RAMS (Risk Analysis and Management System) form is prepared. This process has been audited both by a Department of Conservation approved Safety Auditor and as part of our Qualmark® accreditation

Our teacher-facilitators are trained in safe practice and all have First Aid qualifications. The suppliers we use are fully qualified and experienced in their specialist areas and where available we choose to work with Qualmarked® operators. Their sound safety records are further guaranteed by the Qualmark®, accreditation process.
Qualmark® is New Zealand tourism's official mark of quality. All accommodation and tourism businesses carrying the Qualmark® have been independently assessed as professional and trustworthy, so you can book and buy with confidence.

Q4. Who are your facilitators?

Our trips are managed and facilitated by qualified science or social science secondary teachers with classroom experience as well as many years’ experience in the field.

Q5. How long have you been running field trips for New Zealand secondary students?

Since 2001. Our oldest client did 12 consecutive yearly 3 day trips to Goat Island and Tiritiri Matangi Island. Most other schools repeat trips year after year.