Matt White

Founder of Southern Waterscapes Ltd

Not many water feature specialists can say their career started with elephants. Before founding Southern Waterscapes, I spent four years as a keeper at Auckland Zoo - a job that taught me more about creating thriving natural environments than any landscaping course ever could. Watching how animals respond to space, water and habitat shaped how I think about every build I do today.

From the zoo I moved into a plant nursery, spending two years surrounded by the kind of growth and greenery that makes a Canterbury garden come alive. By the time I picked up a digger for the first time in 2019, I had something most landscapers don't - a deep understanding of both the living and the built environment, and a genuine passion for making spaces where nature can do what it does best.

Water features were never a detour for me - they were always the destination. I've been building ponds in my own gardens since I was a kid, starting small and rebuilding over the years, learning what works and what doesn't. That hands-on obsession never left. When I discovered Aquascape online I followed their story closely for years before the opportunity came to use their system professionally. The moment it did, I committed fully - and I haven't looked back.

Southern Waterscapes exists because I believe Canterbury homes deserve water features built by someone who genuinely cares about the result. Not just a contractor ticking boxes, but someone who grew up with mud on their hands and wildlife in their heart, and who understands that a well-built water feature isn't just a garden addition — it's a living ecosystem that will improve every year it's left to mature.

New Zealand's Only Aquascape Certified Contractor

Southern Waterscapes is proud to hold the distinction of being New Zealand's only Aquascape Certified Contractor. Aquascape Inc has spent over 20 years developing the world's most proven ecosystem water feature technology — and we're the only builder in the country certified to install it to their exacting standards. When you choose Southern Waterscapes, you're not just getting a water feature — you're getting a globally proven system, built by NZ's only certified specialist.

Southern Waterscapes — formerly known as Local Landscapes — has featured on episode 3 of My House My Castle, the returning New Zealand home renovation series. The episode followed the transformation of a weedy front lawn into a stunning island garden, complete with feature boulders, rustic sleeper stepping stones, a crushed limestone pathway and drought-hardy planting selected for Canterbury's dry conditions.

While the project showcased landscaping rather than a water feature, it gave a national audience a glimpse of the same design eye, attention to detail and craftsmanship that goes into every Southern Waterscapes build. If you found us through the show — welcome. The business has since rebranded and narrowed its focus exclusively to ecosystem water features, but the passion for creating beautiful, natural outdoor spaces hasn't changed.

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Years in Horticulture & Landscaping

2017 — 2019

Plant Nursery

2 years surrounded by plants — developing a deep knowledge of what grows and thrives in NZ conditions. The natural world became a second language.

Auckland Zoo

4 years as an elephant keeper - learning how animals thrive in well-designed natural environments. The foundation of everything that followed.

The Journey

2019 — Present

Southern Waterscapes

Landscaping since 2019, now exclusively focused on Aquascape certified ecosystem water features across Canterbury and New Zealand.

Follow Our Builds

Watch our latest projects come to life on YouTube — from time-lapse builds to finished features.

Ready to Start?

Let's Build Something Beautiful

Every great water feature starts with a conversation. Tell us about your space and we'll help you figure out what's possible.