Volunteers help boost visitor numbers

The number of visitors to Nelson’s heritage buildings is continue to grow – but that’s no surprise to the volunteers helping keep the attractions running.

The number of visitors to Founders Heritage Park, Isel House and Broadgreen House has more than doubled in two years, Nelson City Council data shows.

In the 2023-24 year 154,456 visitors were recorded, up from 104,272 in 2022-23, and 60,920 in 2021-22.

Numbers were now exceeding pre-Covid levels, council’s group manager – community services Andrew White said.
“The primary driver of the increases has been an increase in cultural events, school holiday programming, and actively pursuing event bookings.”

A “vital” part in the success was the role of volunteers, he said.

“Their involvement is integral to providing a positive visitor experience and ensuring the Nelson community has access to its heritage.”

For the volunteers, the attraction for the visitors is obvious.
“The overseas visitors love it, they absolutely love it,” Sylvia Wesney said about Founders.

“The New Zealand ones, say its better than Shantytown.”
Wesney would know – she’s been volunteering at Founders for about 25 years, and also volunteers at Isel House and is vice-chair of the Melrose House Society.

Heritage was an important part of our lives, and Nelson was fortunate to have so many places capturing the different ways people lived in the past, she said.

“One of the beauties of Isel is that it’s in situ – its as it was with its stains on the walls, and also its got a nice history.”
Volunteering was an “enjoyable pastime” where they got to meet new people, and also were constantly discovering new things at Founders, she said.

Fellow Founders volunteers Gill Shaw and Netty Taylor agree.

Founders was a great draw-card for locals as well as visitors, Shaw said.

“It’s a great, safe place to let the kids run around. They can bring their scooters and bring their bikes.”

Shaw started as a paid employee at the park, and returned as a volunteer after Covid.

“When I was working here the favourite part was opening up in the morning and being the only one here and it was my village.”

For Taylor the main attraction to volunteer was simple – she saw the windmill from her house when she moved from Auckland seven years ago.

“My reason was I’m working in a windmill … it’s been a great environment to work in, I just really love the mix of people coming through.”

It also helped her understand her new home, she said.
“Being new to Nelson it gave me a really good feel of the history of the area.”

The growth in events was opening the park up to a new audience of people, with many Nelsonians not realising it was free for locals to visit.

The train and café were also big draw-cards, they said.

ByWarren Gamble, Nelson Mail