WuHoo Timaru aims to help cultivate the “Explorer Mindset” in lifelong learners across the Timaru District.

The Explorer Mindset is a dynamic blend of curiosity, courage, critical thinking, and empathy that empowers learners of all ages to engage meaningfully with the world. WuHoo Timaru has been inspired by the National Geographic Society’s vision for education, we give our time to support educators, researchers, and community leaders with innovative learning experience inspiration that bridge science, art, history and storytelling, to spark curiosity, critical thinking and drive action. Through immersive, inquiry-based strategies and direct engagement with real-world explorers and changemakers, we aim to help our community grow outstanding future citizens by helping them develop the skills and attitudes needed to navigate complexity, nurture empathy, and contribute to a more sustainable and interconnected future.

When we know where we have come from, we can better know ourselves and where we are going. - Roselyn Fauth

Rose Fact Sheet
There wasn’t much public material available on why our rose gardens attract people from all over the world, so I created this in response to that curiosity. I feel this helps to recognise community effort and collaboration as a legacy to our community. The Gardens are a big draw card for tourism including the locals.
wuhootimaru.co.nz/roses
Thank you to the organisers of the Timaru Rose Festival who paid for the printing of these fact sheets so they could be handed out at the Timaru Rose Festival. The left overs are now at the Timaru Information Center.

Bob Fitzsimmons Colourful Fact Sheet
I’ve finished the fun fact sheet about Bob Fitzsimmons.
wuhootimaru.co.nz/colouring-sheets
Thank you to Dave Jack for the help and inspiring me to create this colourful fact sheet.

Street Chat 
I was invited to colaborate with the CBD Group to bring stories to the empty windows of Timaru's CBD. I prepared the information, and they edited it to suit their project. I also created the graphic design and print files for them. The content is written, and installation is in progress. 

Rock Art Trail to Public Sites
This is a digital guide to places around Timaru where you can see publically accessable sites that relate to Māori rock art. A printable version is on the way.
wuhootimaru.co.nz/rock-art-sites

Art History Trail
I’ve created a print-ready handout showing where the signs are, along with prompts to encourage conversation about the art.
wuhootimaru.co.nz/signs
There are three more frames still to be installed. When that happens, I’ll update the document and look for funding to get it printed.

Educator Resources
This section was designed to give teachers some background before or after a class visit to the playground. The classes usually visit the playground with the South Canterbury Museum Educators, who give specific lessons as specified by the schools, and what they are learning in the classroom. The feedback has been amazing, and the idea of teaching people about our past people and place through play is really making an impact.
cplay.co.nz/resources
I’m often asked to meet schools and do presentations, so I add new resources each time. Most recently, I went to Washdyke Lagoon to talk about lava and loess.

History of Ashbury Park
A short piece outlining the coastal and recreational history of Ashbury Park. This resulted in signage at The Timaru Top 10 Holiday Park, where people can stand on the bridge over the creek and see the eels below by appointment. The Holiday Park owners welcome schools and groups to visit and see the eels, just ring in advance so the staff can be ready to escort you through the park.
wuhootimaru.co.nz/coastal-walkway-and-wetlands/ashbury-park-coastal-history

The big CBD Heritage Hunt

We listed international, national, local events and plotted them on a timeline with heritage buildings, and created a trail. So while you wander around the CBD taking time to look up and take notice of the amazing heritage buildings, you can connect to stories of the people the buildings were constructed for, who designed them, who built them, who use used them and why they look the way they do. We peppered in some fun facts liuke where the opium dens where, the sex workers meeting spots, famous unsolved murder locations, so all parts of society are linked into the trail. We are testing the design and content, and aim to release soon. In the meantime, a series of smaller hunts and guides are on the website to tide you over while we get the 'Big One' ready to print.

https://www.wuhootimaru.co.nz/cbd-heritage-hunt

https://www.wuhootimaru.co.nz/cbd-heritage-walk

https://www.wuhootimaru.co.nz/timaru-cbd-architecture-hunt

And how you can help if you’d like to collaborate...

Right now, I’m juggling a number of projects that blend storytelling, heritage, education and community engagement — some are voluntary, others commissioned — all with the shared goal of helping people connect with our place through free, meaningful experiences. Below is a snapshot of what’s on my plate, what I need, and how you might be able to contribute. It is a mission, and if you would like to help, I would be so greatful.

Most of the work is voluntary. If you had funding for any of these projects I would also love some support pretty please.

The Oxford Building Signage

Priority: Immediate
I’ve completed the research on the Turnbull family and have access to the original 1924 plans for this 100-year-old building. I’m now designing window signage to help passers-by appreciate the building’s history. Help needed:

• More detail on the Gabities family, who may have co-owned or held tenure of the site

• Wording suggestions that honour both families’ contributions

• Historical uses of the building (YMCA, etc)

• Anyone with photos or stories from its past

Story Circle at Caroline Bay

Priority: High
This will be a four-panel installation at the playground. Two sides will showcase historical photos and artworks from the Aigantighe. The other panels will share historical context that shaped the playground’s design. Help needed:

• Feedback on the draft content

• Suggestions for how to acknowledge donors and community supporters

• Fact-checking and review of wording tone and accuracy

New Lifeboat Signage (Lions Club)

This commemorative sign will sit with the lifeboat shelter, sharing Timaru’s sea rescue history. Help needed:

• Input from educators to make this meaningful for school groups

• Finalise story flow and wording

• Review by someone with local maritime knowledge

CBD Heritage Hunt and Window Wrap

This project brings together five years of research. I’ve illustrated all the CBD heritage buildings, built two online hunts, and the printed version is nearly ready to go. Help needed:

• Proofreading the dense handout

• Feedback on clarity, tone and layout

• Ideas for launching or promoting it in schools or the community

Scavenger Hunts for Caroline Bay and Botanic Gardens

The content needs updating to reflect changes like removed trees and new signage. Help needed:

• A walkaround buddy to re-map changes

• Suggestions for new activities or puzzles

• Funding or sponsors to print new editions

Ticket to Timaru

A social, educational series that blends local history, arts and heritage. The idea is to host casual gatherings with a guest speaker, followed by a visit to a significant property. Help needed:

• People interested in helping with logistics, bookings and hosting

• Feedback on the structure and content

• Leads for guest speakers or historic venues

• A companion for a recon trip to Dunedin to study their heritage tours

Whale Tail Trail and Memorial Plaques

Honouring Timaru’s whaling past and remembering those buried in unmarked graves, especially Ann Williams. https://www.wuhootimaru.co.nz/whale-tales-trails-hunt and https://www.wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog Help needed:

• Donations or funding advice for plaques

• Sensitive, inclusive wording for memorial signs

• Feedback on draft designs and trail structure

Street Art Trail

I’ve gathered the artwork details but now need historical and cultural context to tie it all together. Help needed:

• Writers or researchers to help draft short blurbs for each location

• Local knowledge about transport, botany, or artist backstories

Art History Trail or Coastal History Trail

I’ve got frames in storage and a potential partner ready to install them. But with limited TDC support, I may pivot toward telling history stories along the coast instead. Help needed:

• Alternate image sources if TDC images aren't available

• Ideas for signage placement along the coastal track

• Help managing public permissions or installations

General History Sign Refresh

Many of the Council’s signs are outdated. I’ve offered to redesign them in a consistent, attractive style. Help needed:

• Input on layout and accessibility

• Encouragement to help move this forward with the Council

Rebuilding the WuHoo Timaru Website

The site has grown large and a bit unwieldy. I want to reorganise it to serve two audiences — families seeking simple guides and educators/historians seeking depth. The vision is to have both polished content and a “detailed stories” archive for those who want to explore more. Help needed:

• Help structuring the new site

• Advice on incorporating AI search or interactive features

• Suggestions for improving navigation

• A few early testers to review the format

How You Can Help

Whether you’ve got research skills, proofreading eyes, graphic design flair, time to walk a trail, historical insights, or just a passion for storytelling — there’s space to contribute. If something caught your eye and you’d like to help, I’d love to hear from you. You don’t need to be an expert. You just need curiosity and a willingness to chip in. This is about building something meaningful together that celebrates our people, our place, and our stories — and making sure it’s accessible to everyone. You can get in touch via WuHoo Timaru website, or message me directly. Let’s make some WuHoos happen.

Bringing the arts, history and heritage club communities together

We are in the early stages of organising tours for members of arts, history and heritage clubs to special access of notible buildings and and peoples spaces. Plan is to do this via the Civic Trust, Friends of Aigantighe, South Canterbury Historical Society and South Canterbury Genealogy Society. Next step is to meet with these gruops to test the idea, and start planning.

The idea, is if the public wanted to come along, they will be need to hold a current membership with at least one of the groups. Idea is to meet somewhere first, have a mingle, share some information about the property we are about to go and see, then wander over and take a look with a guide.

We look forward to meeting with groups and property owners to explore the idea.

If you have a property that you would like to open up to use, please contact Roselyn Fauth This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  Information about the clubs is here: wuhootimaru.co.nz/clubs

Hi, I’m Roselyn, though most people call me Rose. This is me as a kid int he 80s, playing on the seesaw at Caroline Bay, my neighbourhood growing up.

Born in Timaru I am a fifth-generation New Zealander whose two family lines on my fathers side stretch back to the earlier decades of European settlement in Timaru and Oamaru. 

I grew up with the stories my family shared, tales of bees, ships, landscapes, war, emmigration, care, art, and resilience. These influences along with my education at Waimataitai Primary School, and Timaru Girls High School, have helped shape who I am and the way I view the world.

In 2025 I received a few invitations to share my story as a guest speaker, so in that preparation, I have been colating my journey so far, full of art, family, friends, volunteering, projects. I don't know really where to dump it all, so here it is. If you choose to read on, thank you. And if not, all good, it is quite long!

My goal is to help turn community history and shared creativity into free, meaningful experiences that leave a lasting social and cultural impact.

I’m passionate about creating inclusive and meaningful experiences that help people connect, with their environment, their community, and their own sense of curiosity. Through WuHoo Timaru, and with the support from my family and friends, I’ve voluntered to help make local history, art, and play more accessible by developing free resources like scavenger hunts, family guides, and creative trails and sharing them through print, web and multi media. My hope has always been that families, especially those with young children, can discover the hidden gems of South Canterbury, for low cost, in fun and engaging ways.

Being part of the CPlay project gave me the opportunity to help shape the Caroline Bay playground into something more than just a play space. We learned from listening to the community, that we could reflect our community’s stories, landscape, and values. For me, it was about making sure children could learn and explore through imaginative play and connect to stories of our people, place and the past.

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to be involved in a range of community and creative projects, through volunteering with the Friends of the Aigantighe Art Gallery, supporting local heritage initiatives, and sharing what I learn through public talks and writing. If I can help people feel proud of where they live, or encourage them to explore with fresh eyes, then I feel I’ve done something worthwhile.

I believe that when we know our past, we know ourselves, and we can then work out where we are going.

"Roselyn Fauth, known to many as Rose, is a creative community advocate from Timaru who brings people together through free, meaningful experiences. With a background in storytelling, art, and heritage, she’s the founder of WuHoo Timaru and a driving force behind projects like the award-winning Caroline Bay playground. Her work makes local history, art, and play accessible for all, especially families, through scavenger hunts, trails, and creative resources that spark connection, curiosity, and pride in place."

This is little me, playing on the seesaw at Caroline Bay as a kid. I’m a sixth-generation Timaruvian born in the early 1880s. My dad, Geoff Cloake, grew up in Fairview, Timaru, and my mother, Marthy Cloake (née Roos), emigrated here from the Netherlands with her brother, Gerd Jan, when she was twenty.

This is me in 2022 working on an advert as a volunteer for the Caroline Bay Playground Upgrade project.

Roselyn Fauth (née Cloake) is a proud sixth-generation Timaruvian widely recognised for her exceptional voluntary contribution to the cultural and community life of South Canterbury and Aotearoa. With decades of service in arts, heritage, education and inclusive public spaces, she helps locals and visitors connect with the stories of people and place, believing that shared heritage fosters belonging, pride and connection to community.

She is co-founder of WuHoo Timaru, a project that brings history and culture to life through family-friendly scavenger hunts, public storytelling, signage, fun facts and outdoor activities. She shares this voluntary work with her husband Chris and their daughters, Annabelle and Medinella. Together, they create inclusive experiences that encourage families to explore their surroundings in meaningful ways.

Her contributions span initiatives including Timaru Rocks, CPlay, the Friends of the Aigantighe Art Gallery and committee roles with the Timaru Civic Trust and Aoraki Women’s Fund. She is a strong advocate for women’s, children’s and community participation and inclusion.

For over 20 years, Roselyn has volunteered with the Friends of the Aigantighe, supporting staff, members and artists, helping to restore artworks, raise funds for the nationally significant collection and lead projects such as the Timaru Sculpture Hunt, the Art History Coastal Trail Hunt and the CPlay Story Circle. She served four years as president and continues to champion accessible, creative engagement with the arts.

As a key contributor to CPlay, Timaru’s award-winning playground, Roselyn supported the project through grant writing, community consultation, storytelling, fundraising and communications, working alongside the voluntary committee, council and contractors. She later developed educational resources, case studies, webinars and mentoring to support similar community-led playground projects across Aotearoa and promote quality play as a foundation for wellbeing.

A passionate community historian and digital connector, Roselyn shares local stories and produces free educational materials to help teachers, whānau and communities engage with history and place. She recently worked to commemorate Ann Williams, believed to be the mother of Timaru’s first European-born child, reflecting Roselyn’s belief that every story matters. She is currently fundraising to install two monuments to honour those buried in unmarked graves.

Raised in a creative family, Roselyn worked for over 20 years in Cloake Creative, the design business she ran with her father, photographer and designer Geoff Cloake. In 2024, she joined the Timaru Civic Trust, continuing his legacy of promoting pride in the district’s built heritage. Her mother, Marthy (née Roos), emigrated from the Netherlands with a background in nursing and heart health advocacy. Roselyn’s Dutch-Kiwi heritage influences her artistic practice, which blends European and South Island landscapes in a distinct visual style.

In 2023, she received the Timaru District Council Community Service Award, and in 2025 was named South Canterbury Woman of the Year by the Aoraki Women’s Fund, recognising her lifelong dedication to cultural and community enrichment.