“I’m proud to be a patron of the Whakatipu Wildlife Trust and wholeheartedly endorse their commitment towards our community goal of flourishing ecosystems that are predator-free under our kaitiakitanga. I continue to be impressed with the results the trust have been able to achieve in the co-ordination of community groups focused on the big picture solution to pest management in our district.”
WWT Patron, Jim Boult CNZM
Our Staff
Anna Harding-Shaw, Executive Officer
Anna and her family have been in Queenstown since 2014. Taking over as Executive Officer for the Whakatipu Wildlife Trust from Joanne Conroy in June 2024, Anna has always had an interest in animals and conservation.
Anna has 20 years of experience in the veterinary industry, with the last 10 years spent as Operations Manager and Veterinary Nurse at Remarkable Vets. Anna is also a volunteer trapper for the Arrowtown and Coronet Face trapping groups.
Conservation volunteering has always been a passion for Anna, alongside her veterinary career. Anna has been a volunteer at Queenstown Kiwi Park, Wellington’s Zealandia and Wellington Zoo. Anna also spent a year in South America working at a wildlife sanctuary training volunteers and assisting in the rehabilitation of wildlife.
In her free time, Anna and her family enjoy skiing, mountain biking and tramping.
Anna is excited to work with the community to make a lasting difference for nature in the Whakatipu as we work towards the Predator Free 2050 mission.
Youth Representative
Nikau Farrell
Nikau is a local high school student with a strong passion for conservation and environmental protection. In her free time she enjoys exploring all this wonderful region has to offer – exploring and soaking in the outdoors. She loves sharing these experiences with her families and friends, and wants to ensure that the region’s biodiversity is sustainable and increasing – so that others can experience the wonder too.
Our Trustees
- Emma Brockie
- Jo Conroy (Treasurer)
- Nicky Gray – Enviroschools
- Phil Green – Conservation Officer, Queenstown Climbing Club
- Tony Paterson
- David Penrose (Chairman) – Lake Hayes Predator Free
- Julie Scott
- Roger Somerville
- Daniel Sweeney – Hanley’s Farm Predator Free
- Kathryn Wallace
Emma Brockie
Emma’s passion for conservation and the natural environment began early and led her to study environmental sciences at university. After spending nearly a decade overseas, she returned to Aotearoa with a renewed drive to contribute directly to restoring our native ecosystems. She now leads sustainability initiatives at Queenstown Lakes District Council, where she delivers waste minimisation programmes and supports community-led environmental efforts. Emma believes that healthy land nurtures healthy people, and that our wellbeing is deeply connected to nature. Already involved with WWT as a trapping group coordinator, and a self-proclaimed bird nerd, she’s excited to amplify her impact as a trustee.
Joanne Conroy (Treasurer)
Joanne has lived in the Queenstown area since 1984. She had a career in the property industry and was a previous owner of APL property where she developed expertise in the management of Local and Central Government property portfolios. Joanne’s passion for the outdoors, conservation and wildlife stems from her early life in South Westland where she now owns a holiday home, and from walking and cycling local tracks. Joanne now sits on a wide range of Boards and Trusts both charitable and commercial, is a Chartered Company Directors, a Commander of the Order of St John and a Justice of the Peace.
Nicky Gray, Enviroschools
Nicky has lived in Queenstown with her family for the past 15 years. Originally from the North Island she has always had a passion for the environment. She was a teacher in Queenstown and is now the Enviroschools Facilitator for the Wakatipu area. She works in all the schools in the Wakatipu Basin to support learning about the natural environment and sustainability.
Nicky enjoys the outdoors especially when gardening, walking or skiing. She loves working with children and is inspired by their energy and passion for the environment. She hopes that through taking action together we can increase our fauna and birdlife in the Wakatipu for the future generations.
Philip Green, Conservation Officer, Queenstown Climbing Club
Phil heralds from the far north and after completing a Physics degree at Auckland University travelled extensively overseas, finally ending up in Scotland where he developed a passion for climbing, the environment and the outdoors.
Since returning to New Zealand, Phil and his partner settled in Queenstown, started their own tourism business and became active in the local climbing community. In 2013 the Queenstown Climbing Club and DOC put the first predator trap line in Wye Creek and with Phil’s subsequent role as QCC Conservation Officer, he helped plan, manage and develop the Wye Creek project installing new trap lines, monitoring lines and bird count stations. He is now helping set up a similar trapping strategy for Queenstown Hill.
Phil is delighted to be involved in the Wakatipu Wildlife Trust – helping other trapping groups, sharing his knowledge, his love for the environment and representing the Queenstown Climbing Club’s mandate to promote climbing in the Wakatipu and protecting our environment for future generations of climbers.
Tony Paterson
My love for Queenstown, both for its people and its natural beauty, has been a lifelong affair. In fact, it started before I was born; my extended family had a much-loved and visited bach in Frankton and later built in Dalefield, where we were part of a fantastic network of people.
I’ve carried this sense of community throughout my life, and am deeply passionate about working for the mutual benefit of local people and environment. A key way this manifests for me is respecting our beautiful backyard, and exploring sustainability solutions that will protect and enhance our native wildlife for years to come.
David Penrose (Chairman), Lake Hayes Predator Free
David is a senior associate of New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty and a member of the REINZ.
Having established numerous relationships with clients through property over many years David is highly recognised within the greater Queenstown community. He is well respected and understands the need throughout the Southern Lakes to protect our natural habitat, and native bird species.
This has been enhanced recently through the efforts of David to establish a group of local residents to make Lake Hayes Predator Free.
He and his family reside at Lake Hayes, and enjoy the outdoor capital of New Zealand particularly given skiing, fishing, tramping, and hunting are all on our door step.
David knows what it takes to put the building blocks in place and is committed to passing on the baton to make a difference particularly as we face the challenge and benefits of making New Zealand Predator Free by 2050.
Julie Scott
Originally from Waikouaiti on Otago’s east coast, Julie has called Queenstown home since 2002. Her background includes zoology studies at the University of Otago, guiding on the Routeburn Track, working for DOC and as ski patrol. She now serves as Chief Executive of the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust. Julie brings a lifelong passion for the outdoors and conservation, along with a commitment to supporting environmental stewardship across the Whakatipu Basin.
Daniel Sweeney, Hanley’s Farm Predator Free
Daniel is a blow in from Scotland and has called Queenstown home since 2010. The initial 100% Pure NZ image soon gave way to the shocking reality that much of New Zealand’s native biodiversity has already been lost or is in serious trouble. Daniel is keen to help with the collective turning of the tide, with predator control efforts and native planting helping to protect the remaining wildlife of the Whakatipu.
Kathryn Wallace
Kathryn and her family moved to Queenstown in 2017. Queenstown and Otago have always been special to Kathryn. She had many family holidays in the region growing up and completed her studies at the University of Otago in Dunedin. After working in Auckland for several years, Queenstown felt like the right place to call home and to raise a family. Kathryn is a Practice Leader at LegalVision, a full service commercial law firm which operates across New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. An environmental enthusiast, she understands how fortunate we are to live in this beautiful part of the world. Kathryn is excited to be a Trustee of the Whakatipu Wildlife Trust and to be involved in making a meaningful, positive impact in protecting New Zealand’s native birds, wildlife and environment.
Past Contributors
We would like to acknowledge and thank the following people for their past commitment and dedication to the Whakatipu Wildlife Trust
- Sir Bill English (Patron)
- Brett Butland (Trustee)
- Warren Skerrett (Trustee)
- Nikki Gladding (QLDC Rep.)
- Christina Becker-Fifield
- Ben Perchik (Trustee)
- Dawn Palmer (Trustee)
- Paul Kavanagh (Trustee)
- Simon Gregg Edmunds (Trustee)
- Penny Clark (Trustee / QLDC Rep.)
- Pippa Speedy (Trustee)
- Tom Pryde (Trustee)
- Leslie Van Gelder (EO)
- Ting Zhang (EO)
- Wulf Solter (Trustee)
- Paul Griffin (Trustee)