Mystery Creek Events Centre had a successful year, hosting a diverse array of events that highlighted the venue's versatility. Notable new additions included Meatstock, an annual festival that draws barbecue enthusiasts, the CrossFit Team Nationals, which brought together top athletes for a high-energy competition, and the inaugural NZ Boat, Fish and Dive Expo, catering to marine hobbyists. The Northern Easter Camp also made a welcome return after a COVID-19 hiatus, gathering thousands of youth for a long-weekend event. 

Other standout events included Sika Show, attracting outdoor and hunting enthusiasts from across the country, and the NZMCA Motorhome, Caravan & Leisure Show, which continued to cater to the RV community. These large events promote Mystery Creek’s capacity to host a wide range of interests, reinforcing its position as a premier event destination in New Zealand. 

Reviews confirmed that our venue remains a preferred choice for future events, with particular recognition going to our staff. Their commitment to providing exceptional service and ensuring smooth operations played an important role in the seamless experiences for organisers and attendees alike.

Ravensdown, a New Zealand-owned agricultural cooperative company was commended for their well-designed food and waste management system, incorporating 'reduce' measures such as real crockery, 'reuse' strategies like reusable cups made from sustainable materials that visitors could take home or have cleaned on-site, and 'recycle' practices with thorough waste separation and management. Their clear-roofed marquee allowed natural light to reduce overall energy demand. Additionally, the entire Ravensdown team effectively communicated their sustainability story with enthusiasm, showcasing the technology and initiatives at their site. 
 

Pictured from left: Alisha Black, Janine Monk, Barry Quayle, Lance Enevoldsen, MP Barbara Kuriger and Peter Birkett 
 
Fieldays sustainability volunteers play a crucial role in gathering data that helps calculate the event’s carbon footprint. They assist with counting cars in the car parks, conducting bus depot surveys, reading water meters, and collecting feedback from exhibitors. Additionally, they serve as sustainability ambassadors, visiting exhibitors who are participating in one or more of our sustainability programmes, offering support and ensuring best practices are followed.

Commitment Statement: We are committed to promoting quality education (SDG 4) by supporting innovation through the Fieldays® Innovation Awards, conservation and sustainability workshops, engaging students in careers and education programmes, and hosting exhibitor waste workshops. Additionally, we encourage exhibitors to enter the Fieldays Site Awards: Sustainability Award and participate in our Sustainability Programme, to support a culture of learning and environmental responsibility. 

Commitment Statement: We are dedicated to improving community health and well-being through the Fieldays® Hauora Taiwhenua Health & Wellbeing Hub, health screenings, charitable contributions, and volunteer support. Our focus is on increasing access to healthcare, supporting charitable activities, reducing incidents, and ensuring volunteer satisfaction to create a healthier, safer, and more engaged community. 

Commitment Statement: We are dedicated to fostering sustained economic growth and decent work (SDG 8) by contributing significantly to the Waikato and New Zealand GDP, creating jobs both regionally and nationally through Fieldays, and generating substantial revenue from Fieldays, external funding, Mystery Creek Events Centre, Society property, and other sources. Additionally, we will continue to drive economic impact for the Waikato region through our activities and events. 

Commitment Statement: We are committed to strengthening partnerships for sustainable development (SDG 17) by enhancing international connections through Fieldays, attending key global events, fostering community engagement through local gatherings, and contributing to conservation efforts with initiatives like the Predator Free Community Hub.

The Society won the Sustainability Award at the 2023 Waikato Business Awards in November of the same year. The judges highlighted the Society's efforts to integrate sustainability into its events and engage stakeholders, as well as the senior leadership's commitment to practical initiatives and targeted investments that drive real impact. 

Each year, the Society reaffirms its dedication to sustainable tourism by renewing its annual declaration. The Society remains committed to continuous improvement and works diligently to uphold its sustainability goals within the tourism sector.

Our recent collection of expired uniforms was donated to International Needs Fiji (INFiji), an organisation aimed at supporting solo mothers in Suva. Many of these women face significant social and economic challenges, and as a result, their children are at risk of educational disruption and in extreme circumstances, displacement. The Fiji Mums Project addresses this issue by providing a 20-week vocational training program that equips these women with skills to achieve financial independence. Upon graduation, participants receive resources to help them start their businesses.

An inaugural hui was held in the Bledisloe at MCEC with 53 attendees, including six enthusiastic youths from four schools who contributed insightful ideas. The event began with a one-hour presentation covering our progress in predator eradication, eDNA, gully restoration, and youth education projects. This was followed by six breakout sessions focused on envisioning Mystery Creek's future, environmental education actions, storytelling, timelines, and resource needs. 

We gathered numerous ideas which have been digitised for easy access. A survey showed strong support for making this an annual event, with all 20 respondents giving positive feedback and rating the hui above seven out of 10. 

On 4 April 2024, 32 students from four local schools visited the Mystery Creek Heritage Village for a day of environmental education. The day included three activities: painting T-Rex traps for their 'Backyard Trapping' programme, a water quality workshop led by Dr Rebecca Stott from NIWA, and a cultural session on connecting with the environment, guided by Norm Hill, a cultural/environmental specialist. The event concluded with a trapping demonstration. Follow-up homework was provided, allowing students to continue their learning and community impact.  

On 5 September 2024, we hosted the second environmental workshop for schools, launching the first intergenerational 'Legacy Event' in partnership with Bupa NZ, who sponsors the NZ Landcare Trust’s ‘Junior Landcare Programme.’ Eight students from four local schools were paired with retirees from Bupa Foxbridge Retirement Village as mentors, fostering cross-generational connections. The day’s theme focused on water, with sessions on eDNA, water quality, stream conservation, and river cleaning. The workshop concluded with reflections, wellbeing activities, and goody bags containing native trees and educational materials. The event was a success, and the unique setting of the Heritage Village added to its impact.

In August 2024, two of the Society's Predator Free volunteers visited Kaipaki School to teach students about backyard trapping. The two lunchtime sessions were well received, highlighting the students' enthusiasm for environmental sustainability. The volunteers thoroughly enjoyed sharing their knowledge, making it a rewarding experience for both the students and the volunteers alike.

On 30 August 2024, the Society was awarded $40,000 in funding from Waikato Regional Council to be used over two years to support the development and delivery of our Youth Environmental Education Programme (YEEP). Over the past four years, we have held ad hoc workshops with four local schools—Kaipaki, Ōhaupō, Rukuhia, and Tamahere Model Country School—to keep students engaged while we waited for funding. While these workshops have been of great value, the funding will be used to hire an educator to help us implement a more structured approach.

This year has presented challenges that have hindered our progress on MCCC initiatives outside of YEEP. Until we secure funding—whether through grants or sustainable corporate sponsorship—our efforts remain limited. The lack of logistical support has hindered our ability to develop a strategic vision and plan based on the ideas generated at our last hui. To address this, we are proposing the formation of a small steering group dedicated to strategic planning, alongside establishing a volunteer group to assist in implementing some of the projects. 

Other pending tasks include creating a dedicated MCCC website, establishing social media channels, and maintaining ongoing communications. The Predator Free Community has significant potential and there is much work to be done. 

We continue to have the invaluable support of the EPA, Wilderlab, and NZ Landcare Trust, along with numerous contacts in various councils and other organisations. 

The New Zealand National Fieldays Society plays a pivotal role in fostering growth and development through its internship programs, with education at the core of its mission. In February 2024, we welcomed Brooke Bauerfeind, who joined us for a four-month research project focused on addressing the challenges of food waste disposal. This initiative not only aimed to find sustainable solutions for the Society but also for our local business community, working together as a collective to tackle food waste and create a positive environmental impact. 

Born and raised in Hamilton, Brooke spent her childhood helping on her uncle’s farm, moving cows and working on fences. Though she lived primarily in the city, she developed a deep connection to the countryside and makes it a point to return to it whenever she can. 

“As a sustainability intern it has broadened my perspective on waste and the current solutions we have in the Waikato. This experience has brought many different organisations into my sight and has created a lot of pride within me for the people who innovate in this sector for the betterment of society”.  

Volunteers play a vital role in the New Zealand National Fieldays Society, greatly contributing to the smooth organisation and success of the Fieldays event, as well as other year-round Society activities from Predator Free volunteers, who assist with flora and fauna protection, to those involved in riparian planting, painting fences, creating garden boxes, and other various tasks. Yet, all share a common thread—their dedication and willingness to help the Society. Their efforts support our community, and we are deeply grateful, as we couldn’t achieve our goals without them. 

The Society has three types of membership starting with Volunteer Membership, which is open to any volunteer who has assisted the Society from time to time and is offered membership by the Society Board. Financial Membership is available to those who choose not to volunteer but would still like to have a connection with the Society and lastly, Honorary Life Membership, which is awarded to Volunteer Members by the Society’s Board and recognises the member’s outstanding service and contributions to the Society. The number of Honorary Life Members at any one time does not exceed 20. Our Life Members have contributed an enormous amount of passion and commitment to the Society throughout their lives and we are eternally grateful for their continued support. Several active members were even part of the original group that created the first Fieldays event. 

The Board and the Society work in partnership to govern and operate in accordance with the fundamental principles and agreed mission, objectives and values; recognise and respect the views, efforts and contributions of members; and act in accordance with the current strategic plan, operational plan, and other policies of the Society. A Board Charter sets out the governance requirements for the Society and provides terms of reference for the Board including responsibilities and authority. The Charter is read in conjunction with the constitution and board policies.  The CEO is appointed and is accountable to the Board, through the President/Chair for the successful operation of the Society. The CEO reports directly to the President/Chair of the Society who acts on behalf of the Board in the capacity of Society employer. The Board delegates to the CEO the authority to manage the business and affairs of the Society and the ability to sub-delegate to other levels of management including but not limited to the Leadership Team. The Board sets annual performance targets for the CEO, based on the strategic plan. Members of the Board have been elected and co-opted to provide leadership, determine strategic and financial goals for the Society and ensure their implementation. The functions of the Board are to complement that of management.  
 

The Board may have a maximum of ten members made up of four elected members, plus President/Chair, Vice President and not more than three co-opted members. The Board should be mindful of succession planning to ensure that institutional knowledge of the Board is retained; recognising the composition of the Board may change at each election. The Board should from time to time, determine any skill gaps to ensure thorough co-option, where necessary that the Board remains robust, with a complete set of skills and competencies. The Board should also plan to ensure that the composition should be diverse, where the individual and collective board members offer a wide and varied skill set.  

The Board has the power to appoint board committees who report back to the full board. Currently, the Board has four permanent committees each with individual terms of reference. These include the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee; the Assets and Facilities Committee; the Structure Committee and the Events Committee. A full review of all board policies is driven by the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee before being ratified by the Board. All policies are reviewed annually. In addition, the Board may, from time to time, establish other committees. Unless explicitly empowered by the Board, board committees cannot make binding board decisions or speak for the Board. For the most part, the function of board committees is to make non-binding recommendations to the Board.  

The Board expects members both Individually and collectively, to act ethically and in a manner consistent with the values of the Society. Each board member will minimise the possibility of any conflict of interest with the Society by restricting involvement in other business that would likely lead to a conflict of interest. Where conflicts of interest do arise, board members will excuse themselves from relevant discussions and will not exercise their right to vote in respect of such matters. 
 

Revenue for the 2024 financial year totalled $10.9 million, a decrease of $6 million from the prior year. This shift primarily reflects the two Fieldays events in 2023 and the reversion back to a single event in 2024. The Society's revenue streams continue to comprise sponsorship income, Fieldays event income, and property income generated from leased assets, alongside additional income from events at the Mystery Creek Events Centre.

Expenditure for the year was $10.4 million, down from $13.9 million in 2023. This reduction corresponds to the lower costs associated with a single Fieldays event. Salaries and wages remain stable with ongoing staffing requirements, while property expenses decreased to $0.76 million as deferred maintenance spending was minimised in 2024.

In 2024, the Society’s debt levels were managed through an ASB Commercial Credit Facility, which provided liquidity support essential for the organisation’s cash flow stability. The Society successfully reduced its overdraft from $2.3 million to $1.2 million by the year-end, maintaining compliance with all debt covenants. The forecast for the coming financial year supports the Board’s belief in the appropriateness of the going concern assumption, with expectations to meet debt facility requirements and return to profitability under current assumptions.

Statement of Comprehensive Revenue and Expenses

The information below was extracted from the full financial statements as audited by KPMG.

For the year ended 30 September 2024
($ rounded in hundreds)