Boyle River Outdoor Education Centre
Centre Manager
Sharon Nicholas
Welcome to Sharon Nicholas, Centre Manager - from April 2024
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We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Sharon Nicholas as our new Centre Manager. We’ve had to wait for Sharon to take up the position as she was committed to guiding in Antarctica, but we
are sure she is worth waiting for.
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Sharon will bring a wealth of experience to the role. She has spent 20 years working in New Zealand and overseas in the outdoor education and tourism sector in training and development roles, as well as time with the NZ Police and the Royal NZ Air Force.
She has taught and managed people, programmes, safety and equipment in areas of ecological, cultural, and historical importance including the Arctic and Antarctic.
Particularly pertinent for the Boyle is her work as Training Manager at Outward Bound New Zealand.
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There she was managing teams and being a part of a team. She hired instructors, delivered training, and inducted and mentored staff to build a competent tightknit team.
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In her most recent role with local government, she has increased her skills in project management, gained an understanding of council organisations, and learnt about building relationships with Iwi through managing projects with them. This will certainly be beneficial at the Boyle as we continue to navigate our relationship with mana whenua. Her training in urban search and rescue and in emergency operations training are also great assets.
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Her own adventures include self-supported walking and packrafting trips up the west coast of Greenland and crossing north to south through Iceland; trekking on the frozen Zanskar River in India; and rafting and kayaking the Grand Canyon.
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The Boyle
The Boyle River Outdoor Education Centre is a leading provider of outdoor education to schools and community groups in New Zealand. Our programmes engage, teach, challenge and inspire the young and not so young, in beautiful alpine surroundings. Come and join us! For updates, and the latest find us on facebook.​
Our Vision
To extend the potential of young people to be lifelong learners and contributing citizens, enhancing their wellbeing through engagement in responsive future focused outdoor education learning programmes.
To be sustainable, use sustainable practices and be internationally recognised as guardians of our unique alpine environment.
ABOUT US
The Boyle River Outdoor Education Centre is operated by the not-for-profit North Canterbury Alpine Trust. We are based 15km south of the Lewis Pass, nestled between the Sylvia Tops and the Libretto mountain range. We provide tailor-made outdoor education based programmes for school groups as well as offering a number of our own "Boyle" courses. Adventure based learning (ABL) is a core component of everything that we do.
SCHOOLS & GROUPS
At the Boyle we take pride in being a leading provider in outdoor education for schools. We have well appointed facilities, a diverse range of activities available and employ quality, professional staff who ensure that your school's outcomes are met, and that your students have a positive and educational experience. After discussing with you your school's outcomes and objectives, we create a tailor-made programme so that your students get the most out of their stay with us.