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OPENING HOURS WED-SUN, 10AM - 4PM (last entry 3PM)
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Nau Mai, Haere Mai
Welcome to The Brook Waimārama Sanctuary – an extraordinary part of New Zealand.

Night Guided Tours

Book a Night Guided Tour

Experience the magic of the Sanctuary at night — luminous glowworms, the whisper of the Brook Stream, and the chance to hear kiwi calls echo through the forest. A truly unforgettable after-dark adventure.

BOOK TODAY!

Just minutes from Nelson’s city centre, the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary is the South Island’s largest fully fenced eco-sanctuary—690 hectares of protected native forest alive with rare and threatened species. This is a place where you can reconnect with nature, breathe deeply, and experience the mauri (life force) of Aotearoa’s unique environment. 

Home to iconic species like the kiwi, tuatara, and kākāriki, the Sanctuary offers self-guided exploration across 15km of walking tracks, as well as guided day and night tours.

SANCTUARY WALKS & FACILITIES

Be inspired by our 690-ha protected ecosystem just 6km from Nelson’s central city.

LEARN MORE
Brook Waimārama Sanctuary; Children: Students; Education Inspiring The Next Generation; Learning; Rick Field

EDUCATION AT THE SANCTUARY

It’s never too late to learn about how we can care for and interact with nature.

BOOK A GROUP VISIT
Get Involved; Brook Waimārama Sanctuary

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

We welcome your help: hands-on or from a distance.

GET INVOLVED
Brook Waimārama Sanctuary; Visitor Centre; Walks And Facilities

SANCTUARY WALKS & FACILITIES

Be inspired by our 690-ha protected ecosystem just 6km from Nelson’s central city.

LEARN MORE

Find us on Instagram

@brooksanctuary

Share your photos with #brooksanctuary

🌿 Ngahere Neighbourhood – Winter Greenhood (Pterostylis alobula)

Winter reveals some of the forest’s best-kept secrets — like the Winter Greenhood, a delicate native orchid blooming now at the Sanctuary.

This small but striking plant often appears in both its leafy rosette and flowering stages at once. Look for its tiny hooded bloom with curled sepals that form a subtle, toothless grin — a distinctive feature if you know where to look.

🪻 Flowering from May to October, it’s easiest to spot in mid-winter, often tucked into the dappled light of lowland forest and scrub.

Widespread and not threatened, this quiet orchid is a lovely reminder of the hidden biodiversity that thrives in the ngahere, even in the cooler months.

🌿 Ngahere Neighbourhood
There’s more to the Sanctuary than birds! This series celebrates the rich biodiversity that calls the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary home — a vibrant community of native flora and fauna living in harmony.

#NgahereNeighbourhood #BrookSanctuary #WinterGreenhood #NativeOrchidsNZ #SanctuaryStories #BiodiversityNZ #PterostylisAlobula #ForestLife
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🌿 Kids Go Free These Holidays!

Looking for something fun, local, and nature-filled to do these school holidays? Bring the whānau to the Sanctuary!

🧒 During the July school break, all visitors under 18 get free entry to the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary.

Explore forest tracks, spot native birds, search for fungi, and learn about the amazing species that call this special place home.

📅 Offer valid throughout the July school holidays

📍 Entry via the Visitor Centre – open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am–4pm

🎒 Bring walking shoes, a drink bottle, and a sense of adventure!

No need to book – just turn up and enjoy a wild winter’s day out.

#BrookSanctuary #SchoolHolidays #KidsGoFree #NelsonNZ #FamilyAdventure #NaturePlay #WinterWonders #SupportLocalNature
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🕳️ Ngahere Neighbourhood – Ground Wētā (Anderus spp.)

Wētā are a well-known part of New Zealand’s wildlife — but have you met this tiny, secretive cousin?

Spotted right here at the Sanctuary, this ground wētā belongs to the Anderus genus — small, nocturnal, and often tucked away in underground burrows often under clumps of moss. They’re usually only active at night, emerging to hunt and scavenge for invertebrates, and can jump impressively high to escape predators.

You can spot a female by the curved ovipositor (egg-laying organ) at her rear (as seen in the picture).
We’ve recorded at least five species of ground wētā at the Sanctuary so far — and there may be more. They're part of a fascinating world of insects thriving in our native ngahere..

🌿 Ngahere Neighbourhood
There’s more to the Brook Sanctuary than birds! This series celebrates the rich biodiversity thriving in the Sanctuary — a connected community of unsung flora and fauna making the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary their home.

#NgahereNeighbourhood #BrookSanctuary #FloraAndFauna #ForestLife #Wētā #GroundWētā #Anderus #NativeInsects #SanctuaryStories #BiodiversityNZ
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STRATEGIC SUPPORTERS

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MAJOR SUPPORTERS

Sponsors; J&E Reuhl; logos
Sponsors; kumanu; logos
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