About Us

Our Story

Abel Tasman Aqua Taxi is a family owned business on the doorstep of New Zealand's most popular national park.

Back in 1990 Abel Tasman Aqua Taxi pioneered fast water taxi trips in the Abel Tasman National Park and has continued to lead the way with a strong commitment to high safety standards, customer satisfaction combined with experienced drivers who have awesome local knowledge of the park. All this to give you the ultimate journey into the park!

Milestones

Abel Tasman Aqua Taxi was started by Kelvin and Jane Goodman. The operation started out by offering charters and they soon realised there was a gap in the market for customers wanting to walk one-way or spend a day in the park. At the same time they met Terry Knight who was building Awaroa Lodge and noted that there were limited transport services into Awaroa and that partnership was created growing both of their businesses.

Aqua Taxi started out by offering a 9am and a 1:30pm set sailing and we now offer in the peak of summer 6 departures and stop off in every major bay in the park. In 2000 Aqua Taxi opened the first all weather purpose built water taxi base which is still in operation. Our all-weather base is in-keeping with the area's aesthetics. The outdoor area is similar to a wharf that is surrounding the building and we have a counter built by a local Marahau sculptor. In March 2004 Aqua Taxi was sold to Ngai Tahu Tourism. In May 2012, the Alborn family of Marahau purchased the business.

Gaining a Department of Conservation (DOC) concession as well as a DOC Marine Mammal Watching Permit meant we could take our guests right into the park to visit the NZ Fur Seal Colony on Tonga Island in the Marine Reserve.

Toitū te Marae a Tāne
Totū te marae a Tongaroa
Totū te Iwi

Through the sustainability
of the forest and ocean,
humanity will endure.

Our Boats

We have been using Osprey boats since 1996. Our first Osprey “Matakana” was the first built by the then small Nelson engineering firm. Thirteen years and seventeen boats later we have continually improved passenger safety, comfort, and performance.

The Abel Tasman is a unique environment to operate in with its five meter tide range and many tidal lagoons. Our boats get you closer, operating in a minimum depth of only 400mm and our super quiet four stroke outboards allow you to adsorb the sounds of the park. With a three star ultra low emissions rating it's also the cleanest marine motor available on the market. With each new boat purchase we will continue to lift the bar for our customers and the environment.

Our Sustainable Policy

We understand tourism is an important part of the national economy and provides a major source of income for many living in the top of the South Island. It is also understood that the nature of tourism operations in the Abel Tasman constitute a threat to the environment and possibly, to the economy of the region. We will continue to work towards avoiding and or mitigating any negative effects daily operations may have on the environment by our commitment to:

• Minimizing direct impacts on the environment by monitoring our operations and continuing to be proactively involved in projects to protect and restore the biodiversity of the area.
• Working with employees, customers, shareholders, suppliers, the local community and any other interested parties to identify their needs and support them in our commitment to the environment.
• Creating an understanding and responsibility to, minimize our daily impacts on the local environment.
• Identifying both short and long term effects of operations, and in response, reduce any negative effects to a minimum.

In order to achieve the above objectives, we:

• Work to gain employees commitment to the positive aspects of sustainable tourism and their awareness of the importance and benefits of minimizing negative effects on the environment.
• Promote our commitment through the use of local and sustainable product supply.
• Comply with the goals and objectives set by the Nelson Sustainable Tourism Charter and Qualmark
• Continue to review current business practices, identify areas of improvement and create plans to meet our commitments towards a more sustainable future for tourism in the Abel Tasman.

Monitoring

Qualmark – Silver enviro holder. This means we have met minimum requirements in this area, and gone a little extra and are actively participating in energy efficiency; conservation initiatives; waste management & community activities.

Membership of Nelson Tasman Sustainable Charter.

Monthly monitoring: fuel/electricity/land fill and recycling – we are always looking at ways of reducing our uses of resources.

Community Activities

Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust - Proud financial supporters - 10c per person each time you cross the park's foreshore. Aim of the trust: The forests and beaches of Abel Tasman are once again filled with the birdsong that awakens and delights visitors.

Prizes and Donations - In kind for local school and community groups.

Waste Management

• Using refillable dispensers where appropriate eg soaps, sunscreen
• Introduced electronic timesheets to cut down on paper use
• Use local caters where possible – eg all lunches come from Riwaka, coffee from Riwaka
• We recycle all of our used oil, this is then refined in Nelson and resold as light fuel oil
• Recycling – plastics, tins, paper

Energy Efficiency & Monitoring

• Encourage lights and electronic appliances to be switched off when not in use.
• Regular maintenance of all vehicles/tractors
• With a three star ultra low emissions rating it's also the cleanest marine motor available on the market.