Partner Spotlight: Think Solar
Better Communities: Why Wānaka Solar is Sponsoring the Community Walking Tour
At Wao Aotearoa, we believe better communities are built on connection, when locals open their doors, share their stories, and show what’s possible when we act together. That’s why we’re thrilled to partner with Think Solar Group as sponsor of our Better Community Weekend Walking Tours in Queenstown and Wānaka. Their kaupapa is simple but powerful: better our environment. From the systems they install to the way they work, Think Solar (Wānaka Solar & Queenstown Solar) are committed to creating a cleaner, more sustainable future for our community and the landscapes we all cherish.
The Free Community Walking Tour in Wānaka is on Saturday November 2nd.
The Free Community Walking Tour in Queenstown is on Saturday November 2nd.
Powering Change, One Rooftop at a Time
Together with their customers, Wānaka Solar has already installed more than 9,000 solar panels and avoided 1,627 tonnes of CO₂-e. That’s hundreds of households cutting bills, gaining resilience, and shrinking their carbon footprint. But for Wānaka Solar, this is just the beginning. They want more local families to experience the benefits of solar first-hand—and the best way to do that is to see it in action, on homes just like yours.
That’s why they’re proud to sponsor the Community Walking Tour alongside Wao. On this tour, you’ll see real homes powered by solar, hear directly from locals who’ve made the switch, and discover the financial and environmental impact it’s already having. As Wānaka Solar puts it: once you go solar, you don’t look back.
Walking Tours: Local Action, Real Impact
The Community Walking Tours in Wānaka and Queenstown bring energy, transport, biodiversity, food, and resilience to life. You’ll meet the people driving change and experience solutions first-hand.
Wānaka Tour Highlights
Housing: Sarah Allen’s Passive House – energy efficiency at its best.
Energy: Solar and battery solutions with Hannah Shea (Wānaka Solar Tour), plus replacing fossil fuels (gas, diesel, petrol) in homes and transport through electrification with Pierre from Electrify Wānaka.
Transport: EV + charger with Zane, and biking for transport with Rob Barry (No Barriers).
Water Flows: Jose (WAI Wānaka) on stormwater, drains, and urban streams.
Biodiversity: Te Kākano’s Chrissi (weaving plant guards) and Jo (native gardens), trapping in urban catchments with Megan (Predator Free Wānaka), pollination with Barna Szocs (Tiaki Bees), and birdlife with Jo Tilson (Southern Lakes Sanctuary).
Household & Circular Economy: Natural cleaning with Celine (Wastebusters)
Food & Community Resilience: Su and Diana (Hāwea Food Forest) at Dan & Vee’s home garden and the Wanaka Community Response Group on emergency response and awareness.
Queenstown Tour:
Queenstown Tour, kicking off from the School House Domain in Arthur’s Point (located on Arthur’s Point Road direct across from the Top 10 Holiday Park)
Highlights include:
Housing: Paul Hollingsworth from Queenstown Solar is showcasing his spectacular house build to Passive House standard, located an easy 5 minute stroll from the School House Domain at 12 Larchmont close. Moonlight Tui house, again built to Passive House Standard, designed by Team Green Architects and built and owned by Josh Atkins from Compound, will also be open to view, located across the Shotover River Bridge at 6 moonlight track - the perfect pit stop after your beer tasting at Canyon Brewing.
Energy: The team from the Queenstown Electrification Accelerator will be set up at the School House Domain to share independent, practical advice on electrification and solar, from heat pumps and EVs to induction cooking and batteries, while showing how these solutions can cut costs, reduce emissions, and boost resilience.
Biodiversity: We’ll tour past one of KAPOW’s (Keep Arthur’s Point’s Original Wildlife) main native wildlife regeneration areas. KAPOW is a local community group who focus on predator trapping and native habitat enhancement around the Arthurs Point community to promote native wildlife.
Transport: Lightfoot Initiative will have a bike valet station & be doing free bike checks to set you up for the summer. Perfect for anyone wanting to bike to the School House Domain, leave their bike and walk the rest of the route.
Canyon Brewing will be doing a special beer tasting through their four most sustainable beer brews from 12-12:30pm (bookings via Humanitix required, $25pp), the perfect pit stop for the tour - feel free to stick around for lunch before kicking off the rest of the tour.
Step Into the Future — For Free!
The Community Walking Tour is about more than seeing clever solutions; it’s about imagining the kind of community we want to live in. Energy resilience, thriving biodiversity, smarter transport, and stronger connections all start at the local level—and you can be part of it.
Best of all, this event is free to attend. So grab a friend, hop on your bike, and come join us on the Community Walking Tour at the Wao Summit this October.
👉 Explore the programme and secure your free spot here to the Wānaka or Queenstown Tours »
