Potiki Adventures Directors

Melissa Crockett

Melissa is the co-founder and co-director of Potiki Adventures. She specialises in creating and guiding our exclusive tours. Melissa’s background is varied, but includes working as a theatre producer, charity fundraiser, personnel consultant & educator. She grew up on a beach in the Far North of New Zealand before moving to Auckland to study at the University of Auckland- focusing on Maori Art and Traditional Culture.

Melissa worked with co-director Bianca to help her create the concept for company, then as the company has grown, has slightly moved the focus so that it so that now it is not solely adventure based.

In 2006 Melissa was named the ‘PATA Young Tourism Professional’ at the Tourism Industry Association of NZ National Tourism Awards. She is the first Maori, the first woman and the youngest person to have won this award.

Melissa is actively involved in voluntary roles with both the Maori and tourism communitiy. She is the Chairperson of the Te Rakau Hua O Te Wao Tapu Maori Theatre Trust, and is the Deputy Chairperson of the Auckland Maori Regional Tourism Organisation.

Her passions are for promoting Maori art and encouraging young people to be proud of their culture.

Melissa is of Maori and Pakeha (European) heritage. Her iwi (tribe) is Nga Puhi and her hapu (sub tribes) are Ngati Kahu & Te Rarawa. She comes from Taipa.

Bianca Ranson

Bianca is the co-founder and co-director of Potiki Adventures. Bianca came up with the concept of creating a company where outdoor activities and adventures were offered alongside Maori culture, then has worked with co-director Melissa to make it all happen.

Bianca is one of the countries only fully qualified female Maori Outdoor Instructors. She can take people bush walking, tramping, kayaking, snorkelling, caving, mountaineering, abseiling (rappelling), etc etc. Prior to setting up Potiki Adventures, Bianca worked for local companies providing outdoor adventures for school groups and corporate clients and as an instructor at Auckland University of Technology on a Maori outdoor course.

Bianca runs all of Potiki Adventures adventure based activities and tours and organises Marae stay for large international groups, as well as guiding on other tours as required.

In 2004 Bianca became involved with Te Wero Taiohi o Aotearoa, the Young New Zealanders’ Challenge (YNZC) of the Duke of Edinburghs’ Award. Her enthusiasm and commitment to providing this programme for young Maori has lead to one of the most successful projects of the YNZC ever. She currently has approximately 270 young Maori involved with the programme, and runs it in 7 Marae (Maori communities) across Auckland. This provides opportunities for the young people to be involved in this international award and to complete it within a Maori framework. Bianca also runs this programme inside youth prisons and Child Youth & Family residential centres (for ‘at risk’ young people).

Bianca is passionate about working with young people, the environment, her heritage and having great adventures.

Bianca is of Maori and Pakeha (European) heritage. Her iwi (tribe) is Nga Puhi and her hapu (sub tribes) are Ngati Kahu. She comes from Kaeo.