Motutapu Outdoor Education Camp is an outdoor education camp on Motutapu Island in the Hauraki Gulf, in Administration Bay. The island is joined by a land bridge to Rangitoto, and it was declared pest-free in 2011. Visitors must follow a biosecurity routine: check bags, footwear, clothing and sleeping bags for stowaways, clean them at the cleaning stations at the pier, and pack food in sealed containers. The camp has a Main Camp, a Lodge and a Cottage for groups of all sizes, including school, corporate, family and friends groups.
Programmes mix instructor-led and self-led activities, and waka ama, kayaking and snorkelling are the favourites. The island's native birds include the tīeke and takahē, and its history covers Māori settlement, Victorian gatherings and a World War II base. The camp says the programme is tailored to each group when they book, so the team should be told what the group wants at that point. Our pick for a school or team trip that mixes island history with time on the water.