A destination like no other
Ian and Cindy Fox, together with their daughter Jade, opened Waipu Caves Farm Park earlier this year with a vision to see people, families and youth spend time in the great outdoors, engaging with nature. You’ll discover a diverse range of activities and environments to explore and enjoy; including the Milky Way Glow Worm Cave.
It all started when the family bought the land in February 2018, living in a tent on the property for the first six months. Inspired by the family's love of the natural environment and seeing the wellbeing that people get from being within nature, they started on the project of a lifetime. Five years later, with the help of their staff, they’ve developed the infrastructure required to establish a one-of- a-kind destination.
The couple's shared vision and combined skills have been harnessed to develop their Farm Park. Ian has a background in Outdoor Education and Instruction, in abseiling, rock climbing, bush craft and caving. He also has 16 years experience in environmental work, including reforestation, landscaping and environmental consultation. Ian is involved in Cave Search and Rescue and for the last four years has led cave rescue training on their property and the surrounding area. Cindy has worked for over 18 years as a Paediatric Occupational Therapist and is also teacher trained. She recently trained as a Child- Centred Play Therapist and is focussed on working with children who have experienced trauma and need support for their healing; which is done within nature with the farm animals on their land.
Ian and Cindy have protected 120 acres in a QEII covenant and manage 300 bait stations on the property, which has led to an increase in bird and insect life. They have fenced waterways and bush areas, removing livestock from the streams, wetlands and bush, which has led to a vast increase in understory regrowth of native bush.The 320 acre Farm Park is more than half covered in native bush and home to ten kilometres of walking tracks plus farm roads for biking.
Waipu Caves Farm Park offers campgrounds for tenting and motorhomes, with an area especially for schools, scouts and youth groups. You can explore and swim in the beautiful rocky bottomed stream and there are natural limestone cliffs for abseiling and rock climbing. Campers can use the Burma trail, orienteering and hut building areas as well as archery by prior arrangement. As a Farm Park, you’ll also find goats, lambs, calves and pigs that have been hand reared on the farm and love receiving pats.
The Milky Way Glow Worm Cave, a well kept secret until its opening earlier this year, is a guided tour about an hour long. Walk through beautiful native bush with naturally sculpted limestone rocks, then down some steps into the cave and along a concrete path. The tour gives people an amazing experience of safely entering the underworld, rich in cave formations such as stalactites, stalagmites and flow stones. With lights off, you get to see New Zealand’s world-famous glow worms and learn about their life cycle. During the tour, guides teach you about cave conservation, its geology and ecology. Plus it’s one of the few guided cave tours where you may take photos.
Ian, Cindy and Jade look forward to hosting you at Waipu Cave Farm Park!
www.WaipuCaves.nz | 09 430 2722