Join in the annual celebration of the sea
Seaweek facilitates learning from and celebrating the spectacular sea that surrounds us.
Our mission is to provide opportunities for all people to discover the ways our lives are connected to the sea. Ocean-inspired community engagements, experiences in nature and hands-on learning can strengthen connections and inspire care for our marine environment – so we encourage you to celebrate our marine environment by learning something new and sharing that with someone else!
What's On
Check out our brief region-by-region snapshot to get a feel for what's going on nationally.
Get inspired by our What's On page as you scroll through the wide range of activities aligned with Seaweek this year. The programme includes opportunities to participate in water activities, engage with local conservation initiatives, clean-ups, film screenings, art workshops and citizen science projects.
NATIONWIDE
Celebrate Seaweek from anywhere across New Zealand by entering our Ocean-inspired Art Competition! Other nationwide opportunities include our Webinar for Students, Port Marlborough's Tōtaranui Kelp Restoration Webinar with Dr Nick Shears, Yachting New Zealand's Photo Competition, and Experiencing Marine Reserves' Fish of the Year contest & colouring competition.
AUCKLAND
Get a quick overview of what is happening by looking at our Auckland Events Calendar! There's a wide variety of free events, including; Sir Peter Blake MERC's annual Sea MERC Day, The Amazing Adaptations of Ocean Animals library education sessions, beach clean-ups, ocean-themed arts & craft sessions by the ReCreators and Tinker Designs, guided snorkelling with Experiencing Marine Reserves, Mornings by the Stream with EcoMatters, and a Biodiversity Hunt with The Whau River Catchment Trust.
BAY OF PLENTY
Join Smidge Suncare for pilates/yoga for ocean lovers or learn about marine mammals at Project Jonah's Whale & Dolphin Protection Talk!
CANTERBURY
There are so many opportunities to celebrate the ocean in this region. There will be art classes with E5 Art and Clay and Emily Quane, library events, science talks with the CWEA and the South Island Wildlife Hospital, a Seaweek fair with Pōhatu Penguins, and so much more.
GISBORNE
Join Experiencing Marine Reserves and the Department of Conservation for a guided snorkel at Te Tapuwae o Rongokako Marine Reserve.
HAWKES BAY
The National Aquarium, Hawke's Bay Regional Council, and Creative Arts Napier have coordinated some amazing events! Find a summary of Seaweek events in Hawkes Bay on the National Aquarium Seaweek 2025 page to see what they are offering.
MANAWATU – WHANGANUI
Visit local artist Alissa Dyer's Our Land, Our Seas, Our Responsibility exhibition at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō.
MARLBOROUGH
Conservation Kids New Zealand is accepting nominees for a free Children's Day Ocean Adventure Cruise in the Marlborough Sounds! Envirohub Marlborough is also celebrating Children's Day and Seaweek with a day exploring nature in Momorangi Bay.
NELSON-TASMAN
Attend a guided snorkel day with Tasman Bay Guardians at Rotokura (Cable Bay) or learn about marine restoration at the Science Talk organised by the Cawthron Institute.
NORTHLAND
Join EMR for a bioblitz at Reotahi Marine Reserve or attend a Northland Regional Council Coastal Conversations talk with coastal scientist Jim Dahm.
OTAGO
There will be two days of Marine Encounters tours at the New Zealand Marine Studies Centre.
TARANAKI
Taranaki’s events are set to kick off with an EMR community snorkel day at Ngā Motu Marine Reserve. Later in the week, Wild for Taranaki and Puke Ariki will present Eco Dialogues | Celebrating Taranaki’s Marine Biodiversity, a series of short talks featuring six Taranaki species. There will also be a Kororā-themed Family Art Session at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery.
WAIKATO
DOC is hosting a Community Day at Buffalo Beach, an evening of ocean-themed film screenings & presentations at Mercury Twin Cinemas and a clean-up of Cathedral Cove, Hahei Beach and Honeymoon Bay with Hahei Explorer! There will also be a DOC Seaweek poster competition and Build a LEGO® sea creature sessions at Mercury Bay Library.
WELLINGTON
Mountains the Sea Wellington & Love Rimurimu have organised NZ's first Seaweed Festival aligned with Seaweek which includes a wide range of activities. The programme includes a sunrise seaweed swim, Taputeranga Marine Reserve snorkel day, and a science talk hosted by Forest & Bird plus lots more! Victoria University's Coastal Ecology Lab will also host their annual open day.
All thanks to collaboration
Seaweek celebrations are organised by a wide range of groups across the country, and aligned with environmental education and awareness campaigns at an international level. Dating back to its beginnings in Western Australia in 1988, since Seaweek reached New Zealand, it has been embraced and promoted by education and conservation organisations nationally.
We owe a huge thanks to all stakeholders, partners and funders for supporting Seaweek year after year. Special thanks to Foundation North for funding which has enabled a wide variety of events in Auckland and Northland over the past several years. We would also like to recognise Rata Foundation for funding some events around the top of the South for the second year in a row.
Seaweek 2025 is endorsed by the UNESCO Decade for Ocean Science.