Nature Quest

Your New Zealand natural history and birding experts

Your natural history and birding experts

New Zealand, Western Australia, Tasmania, New Caledonia

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About Us

Mark Hanger founded Nature Quest in 1988 to connect visitors with the wildlife and nature of New Zealand, explore our wild places and understand the ecological communities of these isolated islands. He had a vision to provide a service that allowed visitors to both explore and understand our diverse ecology and the unique plants and animals that inhabit it.

In 2001 Nature Quest expanded to run botanical and wildlife tours in Western Australia, Tasmania and New Caledonia.

Nature Quest aims to provide

  • Nature and study tours than deepen traveller’s knowledge and understanding of our ecology
  • Insight into the fragile nature of the ecological communities
  • Educate traveller’s to respect and care for our natural heritage

Mark Hanger – Director

Mark has been guiding tours for almost 30 years and is still as passionate as ever about exploring and educating visitors about New Zealand ecology and our conservation efforts.

Mark is a New Zealander and graduate of Otago University and is a passionate botanist and ornithologist. He is currently Deputy President of the largest conservation society in New Zealand, the Royal Forest & Bird Protection society.

Mark has been involved with many conservation project over the years and he is currently coordinating an exciting and innovative seabird conservation project along the Otago coast. This project concentrates on restoring up to seven species of seabird that have disappeared from the coast due to predation.

Mark has a rich history in conservation, he formerly worked for the New Zealand National Parks Service for 7 years and has had a professional involvement in conservation since 1979.

In 1988 Mark founded Nature Quest New Zealand to share his passion and knowledge with visitors to New Zealand and has been guiding ever since.

Mark Ayre – Guide

A keen birdwatcher for most of his life, Mark began working as a volunteer warden as a teenager at Titchfeild Haven Bird reserve. Originally from the UK Mark emigrated to New Zealand 38 years ago.

Mark is very active in the New Zealand Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society and is currently a local branch chairperson. He is particularly involved in the conservation management of the endangered Mohua (Yellowhead), managing and maintaining trapping and monitoring programmes in the Haast region and the Makaroroa Valley. Mark is also involved in bird surveys and bird counts for the Department of Conservation and other private groups.

Mark has led birding trips for Nature Quest since 2002 and enjoys showing visitors the unique birds and the amazing land formations of New Zealand.

Lynette Hartley – Guide

Lynette has been involved professionally in ecology and conservation in New Zealand for well over 20 years. She is passionate about our native ecosystems and knowledgeable about the issues they face from introduced predators. Lynette’s PhD looked at native birds and their interactions with the poisons used to battle introduced pests.

Lynette has always enjoyed sharing her enthusiasm for New Zealand and its scenery with visitors. Lynette spends a lot of her spare time in the New Zealand outdoors and is actively involved in the reforestation and restoration of the urban reserve adjacent to her house in Christchurch.

Lynette’s enthusiasm for the natural world extends to drawing and painting New Zealand wildlife. Her work can be seen on her website.

Alzira – Office Manager

Originally from France, Alzira came to New Zealand in 2015 to explore the country’s unique wilderness and liked it so much she never left. She is a nature enthusiast and avid birder as well as a professional horse trek guide with experience in Western Canada. Her interest for nature conservation has led her to volunteer with French and Canadian environmental NGOs in the past, and now with Forest & Bird in Dunedin, where she lives with her partner.

Alzira has lived in six different countries and speaks French, English and Spanish. She was trained in law, but has since developed versatile skills and experience primarily outside the legal field.

She joined Nature Quest in 2017.

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Your New Zealand natural history and birding experts

  • Nature Quest is a premier nature, botanical and birding tour operator in Australasia.
    Join us to design your once-in-a-lifetime New Zealand or Australia adventure.
  • We are specialists in designing natural history and custom tours based on a deep understanding of New Zealand and a passion for sharing and exploring our wild places.
  • Nature Quest has three decades of experience in guiding and planning customised nature experiences.
  • Our ever developing tour operations offer perhaps the most definitive selection of nature, birding and educational journeys in New Zealand.

We can create an unforgettable experience including:

  • Stunning Nature and Bird Watching tours
  • Specially designed and private guided wildlife trips
  • Self-drive nature or birding trips organized just for you
  • Photographic tours showcasing the best of New Zealand
  • Study abroad programmes for Universities, colleges and schools
  • Custom group tours for overseas tour companies and conservation societies

Nature Quest New Zealand Ltd
PO Box 6314
Dunedin 9059
New Zealand

Ph +64 3 477 9922
Mob +64 21 680 524

Enquiries nature@naturequest.co.nz
Accounts office@naturequest.co.nz

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