PCOA Program Offsite Activities
Monday 8th December 2025
Please Note:
Pre-registration to PCOA25 is required to confirm your attendance.Activities/tours are available ONLY to PCO's or Inhouse Event Managers. Suppliers to the industry are not eligible to participate.
Activities/tours will commence from 8.30am - 10.00am , departing from Te Pae.
Back of House Curators Tour and Private Art Gallery Tour
Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, is the public art gallery of Christchurch. We house our own substantial collection and present a programme of New Zealand and International exhibitions throughout the year. Join us for a Private Curators Tour and dive deep into the stories behind the masterpieces, guided by our expert curators who will share fascinating insights and behind-the-scenes secrets.
8 Dec 2025 | 0830 - 1000
Botanic Gardens Tour on the electric caterpillar
Sit back and take in the beauty of the various sections of the gardens as your driver navigates you around the 21-hectares on board an all-weather electric shuttle. The live commentary points out the seasonal highlights you’ll pass as you travel in comfort on a 50-minute hop-on hop-off tour with three stops, allowing you the opportunity to explore the gardens further.
8 Dec 2025 | 0830 - 1000
Braided Blast Jetboat ride
The Waimakariri River is considered the holy grail of jet boating. It’s where the concept of jet boating was developed to take to the world. You’ll be skimming over the shallow braids in just millimetres of water in channels and streams meandering their way down from the Southern Alps. This is not just a commercial jet boat experience, your 20 mins Braided Blast has you jet boating in the very place Kiwis boat every day.
8 Dec 2025 | 0830 - 1000
Braided Shallows AirBoat ride
Before Bill Hamilton ‘invented’ the concept of jet boating against the flow in shallow New Zealand rivers, he trialled an American style air boat, just like they run in the everglades of Florida. While the jet boat did take over, Alpine Jet Thrills has returned to its roots and offers New Zealand’s only commercial AirBoat experience. 20 minutes skimming the shallows of the Waimakariri in an Air Blast and redefining shallow river boating.
You’re sitting higher above the water than a jet boat with a powerful V8 engine and propellor driving you forward in what many describe as an armchair ride. You’ll whisk through the shallows of the Waimakariri River that most jet boats only dream of accessing!
8 Dec 2025 | 0830 - 1000
City Cycle Tour
Discover the heart of our revitalised city on a Urban Explorer guided cycle tour. Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of central Christchurch at a relaxed pace from the comfort of your urban bike as our experienced local guide takes you straight to the best bits.
8 Dec 2025 | 0830 - 1000
Cultural City Meander
Experience culture in Ōtautahi Christchurch. This 75 min city walk is a perfect way to discover cultural treasures hidden in plain sight and learn how local Māori are expressed in the rebuild of the city. We begin our tours with mihi whakatau (welcome) and karakia (blessing) to visitors. We share the creation story of Ranginui (Sky Father) and Papatūānuku (Earth Mother), and hear our ancestors story of how the hongi brought to life Hineahuone. Following the footsteps of our ancestors, we meander our way along the awa (river), sharing traditional Māori and Settler stories and demonstrating how we are kaitiaki (guardians) and how we preserve the past that determines the future. Walking past traditional mahinga kai (food gathering) and pā (māori village) sites, Āmiki bring to life the stories of the past and present and how they have been woven into our emerging city. Our cultural tours celebrate the diversity that is modern-day Ōtautahi Christchurch, including stories of gathering or mahinga kai on the banks of the river, iconic explorers, the city’s change makers, and modern art and architecture.
8 Dec 2025 | 0830 - 1000
Guided Punt ride through central Christchurch
Relax and Unwind on the Scenic Avon River. One of the city’s most iconic attractions, sit back and relax on an informative guided punt ride through central Christchurch – an eco-friendly experience at New Zealand’s only punting site.
8 Dec 2025 | 0830 - 1000
The Coolest Tour in town
Christchurch is one of five cities in the world known as a ‘gateway to Antarctica’, international crews depart throughout the summer and head to the ice for research and exploration. At the International Antarctic Centre we have packed all the mystery and excitement of the Antarctic for visitors to explore, without having to put on snowshoes. Be chilled in our incredible Antarctic storm room. Be thrilled on an all-terrain vehicle tour. Make friends with penguins and huskies. Learn about the first expeditions, modern-day life on Scott Base and the future of humanity on the ice. Be amazed by the big screen ice tour and astonished within the immersive 4D theatre.
8 Dec 2025 | 0830 - 1000
Urban Street Art Tour
Art in the Streets tells a range of stories, of place, of people, of our past, our present and our future!
Waka on the Ōtākaro Avon River experience
Waka on Avon is an exciting way to experience Christchurch's 180-year history. The Waka on Avon experience is an amazing historical and cultural trip on Ōtākaro Avon River.
8 Dec 2025 | 0830 - 1000
Check out the Pre & Post Familiaristions
Three great FAMILS on offer pre/post our annual conference in Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand.
Don't miss out - register your expression of interest early!
Contact Us
Professional Conference Organisers Association Inc. IA 35380 | ARBN 136 627 088 | ABN: 3069 0730722
Phone
Maxine Tod: +61 435 103 912
Cindy Axisa: +61 435 374 476
Socials
Karakia
A karakia is a short Māori prayer or blessing used to open or close an event, helping to set the tone and bring people together. It acknowledges the space, the people, and the purpose of the gathering. This karakia has been selected by Liz Kereru (Ngāi Tūāhuriri) to align to the 2025 PCOA conference theme of connection and community.
Tuia ki runga, Tuia ki raro, Tuia ki waho, Tuia ki roto,
Tuia ki te here tangata,
Ka rongo te po, Ka rongo te ao, Haumi….e, Hui…e - Taiki….e
Unite from above, Unite from below, Unite from without, Unite from within,
Unite to connect people,
The night hears, The day hears, Join all, bind all, together as one
Meet the Artist
Wongi Wilson is a street artist with a reputation for high-quality, large-scale works in prominent positions around Christchurch.
Find out more about Wongi Wilson
Acknowledgement of Country
The PCO Association acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of Country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the people, the Cultures and the elders past, present and emerging.