Our primary guide is Suky Thompson, author of the Akaroa Audio Guide, and owner of Akaroa Guided Walks. Suky lives locally on a small farm and has an in depth knowledge of the area, having studied its history, served on its local Community Board and acted as a heritage and walking advocate for many years. Suky has developed our range of tours and guided visitors as diverse as Prime Minister Helen Clark, cruise ship passengers, descendants, specialist historical groups and schools groups from all over the country. She enjoys every guided walk and answering the many and varied questions that arise. When not out walking, Suky also runs a project management and research business specialising in heritage and sustainable management and is currently sharpening her skills by studying for her Master's degree at Lincoln University.

The LeLievre family arrived in Akaroa in 1840 as part of a French plan to create the first colonial town in the South Island of New Zealand, and their story features in most of our tours. Annette first became interested in the family history when her own children set to researching their genealogy and since then has taken a passionate interest, which she enjoys sharing with visitors to the town. Annette also teaches at Akaroa Area school and is another very active member of the local community involved with youth and the arts.

Beverley Bassett Broad has been spending time in the Akaroa area since her childhood and after many years working alongside her veterinarian husband in Christchurch, had the pleasure of returning to the area to raise ostriches and later run a holiday accommodation business. Beverley's passion for heritage has inspired her to author several books, including "Walk with me to Onawe", a detailed account of the archeological remains on the distinctive peninsula which bisects Akaroa harbour - the site of a terrible massacre in the 1830s. She has also written several historical novels, "West Coast Reins", "Fools' Gold" and "Erupting lies". Beverley has also worked as a travelling port lecturer on board cruise ships visiting New Zealand.

Marie Haley is a sixth generation descendant of the French LeLievre family and spent her childhood growing up on a remote piece of land which these original pioneers had cleared of native forest to create a pastoral farm. Marie then left Akaroa to train as an environmental scientist and after living abroad has returned to her ancestral home where she works for the Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust helping to restore and protect the native forests as they regenerate once again. When she’s not out in the bush counting birds and trapping predators, Marie enjoys sharing her reflections on the twists of history that Akaroa and the Peninsula landscape present and on her family’s deep connection with it.