MEET OUR TEAM OF CANYONING GUIDES
Get to know the team that will be taking care of you for your trip!
Our canyoning guides all have many years of experience in the outdoors and are EXPERTS at our canyon adventures. Meet the fun and friendly team who look forward to sharing the experience with you.
Wayne Darlington - Weno
Wayne started training in vertical rope systems & guiding in the Waitomo Caves region ages ago! He began taking crazy but willing participants into the vertical caving environment of the great Lost World Cave. This saw him guiding some of New Zealand's most spectacular cave systems and various canyons in NZ and Europe.
It wasn't long before Wayne was dragged into the office in the position of Operations Manager of one of New Zealand's leading caving companies. He then had an opportunity too good to let pass and entered into a business partnership operating a Canyoning company in Thames. A new journey began with the intention of delivering a product truly on any adventurers BUCKET LIST and a product second to none in Aotearoa New Zealand!
When Wayne is not guiding he teaches Rope Rescue skills along with Outdoor First Aid. He is an Outdoor Assessor and is qualified in Industrial Rope Work as well as Adventure Guiding & Instructing.
Russell Hodgson - Russ
Russell has always had a passion for New Zealand's great outdoors and a desire to have others share that passion with him. The chance to share this with people came in 1999 when an opportunity arose to train further and gain some quality skills in vertical rope rescue, height safety, and risk management.
Russ 'the muss' showed an excellent aptitude for working with people at heights which led to him becoming the Training Manager for the same leading New Zealand adventure caving company in Waitomo as his ol' mate Weno. Russell has guided and instructed people in height safety systems in New Zealand and all over the world. He also teaches outdoor first aid, rope rescue, and adventure guiding amongst a raft of other activities.
Russ has a natural ability to effectively reassure the less adventurous... and find challenges for the more confident thrill seekers.
He is pleased to say he loves 'going to work'; not that playing in a canyon all day can be considered "work!" In his spare time Russ can be found mountain biking, wakeboarding, or somewhere outdoors, often accompanied by his wife.
Russ has qualifications in Rope Access, Rescue, and Outdoor Assessment. With NZQA, IRAANZ and NZOIA quals to his name, you know you are safe with Russ.
Teri Brown - 'T'
Teri or T joins the team with over a decade of guiding experience. After working together since 1999 in the world of Cave Guiding and Adventuring T has been a key part in Canyonz after guiding with us since we took over in 2012. She has an infectious laugh and smile and will frequently have the whole crew laughing without even knowing what they are laughing at! T is currently living in the Nui (Taumarunui that is) driving a Kohanga reo bus with some teacher aiding along the way...you go girl!
Anna Crafar
Anna has an infectious and happy demeanour, always a cup half full sort of personality! She has been great to work along side whether caving or canyoning anywhere in Aotearoa. She has a great skill set working with ropes and technical rescue abilities in some pretty harsh environments. Anna has guided and instructed in the Waitomo caves, Canadian ski fields, South Island canyons and where she may have just settled in Thames guiding the Atuatumoe/Sleeping God Canyon when she's not playing full time Mum to her and Jareds two lovely 'full-on' girls during the week.
Anna holds current NZOIA Canyoning qualifications as well as a raft of NZQA Certs in Vertical Cave guiding and instruction.
Alex Petherick
Alex – After five back to back winters Ski Patrolling between here in Aotearoa and the northern hemisphere (Canada) we’re stoked he’s opted to hang around for a summer (or three) and stoked he’s chosen to spend time in the canyon with us showing clients the time of their lives! With a background in rescue and technical rope work it’s great to know if anything did ever go wrong you’re in safe hands with Alex.
Gavin Smith
Big G unit! Whilst Gav looks like a bit of a hard man he is the friendliest guy out there. Also having worked with Wayne, Russ, T and Anna since 2005 when he returned from living in the UK to get back to the outdoor lifestyle! Gav having spent a lot of time underground in caves is also instructing rock-climbing, canyoning and surfing any chance he gets! Despite his lack of love for horses he's been frequenting the horse trekking arena given his love for his two daughters who have forced him into it! Gavin has a newish baby boy added to the mix now so he just keeps adding adventures into his full life! Great to have Gav in our Canyonz Whanau.
Shanan Fraser
Shanan has a long history working and playing in New Zealand’s outdoors having previously spent much of his time caving, climbing and kayaking until one day he saw the light, converted to canyoning and has been hooked ever since! Shanan holds a Diploma in Outdoor Recreation Leadership, NZOIA Rock 1 and Canyon 1 and Juggles a full time job as a firefighter to work as a Canyon Guide and Contract Outdoors Instructor and is also an active member of CaveSAR. He lives with His wife Leesa and son Liam in Auckland.
Sara Reidie
While young enough to make the rest of us feel pretty old!! (except maybe Alex) Sara brings a much needed fresh pair of eyes to Canyonz. With an ability to pick up technical skills and an ability to put 'freaking out clients' at ease with her relaxed nature it's great to have Sara in our team!
Sara has completed an outdoor education qualification here in NZ before guiding for NZ's largest caving company as well as other canyoning companies here and abroad, so she has plenty of experience to keep you safe. She was in Japan canyoning last winter season learning a few new tricks and hopefully mastering the use of chopsticks! Sara is back part time and trying to squeeze as much adventure in as possible to help keep the sanity!
Bree Hindmarsh
Bree had come home to Aotearoa after being abroad in Canada for a couple of years where she was working with clients in high rope courses and similar activities. She jumped at the chance to work with the Canyonz team and she's fitted right in. Bree has taken up student life studying marine biology in the off season but is back with us for another great summer season in the Atuatumoe canyon.
