Tash Luxton: Wild at heart

From caring for koalas and snakes as a zookeeper in Australia to working on rescue and rehabilitation projects in the Ecuadorian Amazon, South Africa, Indonesia and Canada, Tash Luxton has spent much of her time chasing wildlife across the globe, but says it is the Marlborough Sounds that ultimately captured her heart. As a co-founder and trustee of Envirohub Marlborough and Conservation Kids NZ, Tash is now helping to inspire the next generation of environmental champions right here at home.

Words: Amy Russ

Growing up in an animal-loving family, Tash's connection to nature began early. Her childhood was filled with creatures great and small, along with a growing fascination with the natural world. That passion led her to study Zoology at the University of Canterbury before embarking on a globe-spanning wildlife career. Her professional journey began in Australia as a zookeeper at Dreamworld, where she cared for native wildlife ranging from snakes to koalas and everything in between.

From there, her path carried her across continents working in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation and gaining experience across a wide range of ecosystems and species. Eventually, the pull of home proved strong. The Marlborough Sounds drew Tash back to Aotearoa, where she spent years introducing visitors to its remarkable marine life as an eco-tourism guide before becoming a veterinary nurse. “I grew up surrounded by a wonderful variety of species. From cats to koalas, I adored them all and felt a great sense of respect, calm and wonder in their presence,” Tash says. “That deep connection to animals grew naturally to encompass the wider natural world.”

While conservation is often associated with protecting ecosystems, Tash describes her own passion as ‘conservation welfare’, a blend of environmentalism and animal wellbeing. “I have always been fuelled by a passion to help and protect wild and domestic animals from human cruelty. I quickly realised achieving this goal was inextricably linked with environmentalism and I have never looked back!”

At Lochmara Lodge, Tash worked across conservation, education, and marketing roles, helping to develop the lodge’s environmental storytelling and visitor experiences. She played a key role in delivering tours through the underwater observatory, sharing insights into local marine life and the importance of ocean conservation. Her time there also saw her design and deliver hands-on educational programmes for school groups and visitors, bringing environmental learning into a practical, engaging setting. Through her organisation, Conservation Kids NZ, Tash helped run field-based experiences that connected tamariki with the Marlborough Sounds ecosystem. Alongside her education work, Tash was involved in wider conservation efforts on the property, including predator control and support for native wildlife care and rehabilitation. That passion led to countless memorable encounters, and one of her favourites came while working in the Marlborough Sounds.

“I was fortunate enough to work with dolphins for around 15 years in ecotourism. Whilst heavily pregnant with my son Blue, I was able to swim regularly with the Bottlenose and Dusky dolphins. Their echolocation abilities allow them to see a human foetus within the womb, so as they swam by me in the ocean, I was curious to see their reactions considering they could clearly see I was expecting. From the males whizzing past and repeatedly and proudly whipping out their 'privates' to show me, to female dolphins proudly and with the utmost trust bringing their calves close to my giant belly, the ability to connect with another species in response to the life inside me was absolutely incredible!”

But not every wildlife encounter has been quite so magical. During her time at a rescue centre deep in the Ecuadorian Amazon, she woke one night to what she thought was an itch on her face. Instead, her whole hand was filled with a giant cockroach. “Instinctually, and as a knee-jerk reaction, I threw it across the room – after which I was able to admire its sheer size and beauty whilst confirming it was the biggest cockroach I have ever seen!”

Back in Marlborough, Tash's focus is firmly on creating opportunities for local children and families to connect with nature. Conservation Kids NZ (CKNZ) was established after she and co-founder Larissa Larimar recognised a growing demand for hands-on environmental learning outside the classroom. CKNZ grew quickly and became a registered charitable trust that with the support of co-founder Amy Healey, evolved into the larger Envirohub Marlborough Charitable Trust, with four core programme areas: Conservation Kids NZ, Marine Conservation, Sustainable Communities, and Zero Waste. Today, alongside husband Paul and sons Blue and Koa, Tash continues to turn a lifelong passion into practical action, helping the next generation discover that caring for nature starts with simply falling in love with it.

“Seeing children discover the natural world never loses its magic,” says Tash. “It's when I feel the most confident about our future on this planet! Nature is always around us in some shape or form and nurturing a child's ability to truly see and connect with it is one of the greatest gifts we can give them. I'm a big believer that those tamariki provided with learning opportunities and encouraged to embrace the wonders of nature and more specifically animals, early in life, develop a much deeper level of appreciation and respect for the environment and taking better care of it, for all living creatures. Whatever challenges a child may be facing, the natural world is always there. A constant, quiet presence offering a sense of calm, belonging and direction whenever they need it most.”

Asked to distil her mission into a single sentence, Tash doesn’t hesitate: To protect animals, help restore environmental balance, and inspire others to live sustainably and compassionately alongside the natural world. That same sense of purpose runs through her connection to the Marlborough Sounds.

“You only need to see and experience it to understand why it’s worth fighting for,” she says. “The breathtaking landscapes, the lush native ngahere, the extraordinary biodiversity, and the clear, calm waters of the moana. I honestly think it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world.”