Nau Mai, Haere Mai, welcome to
The Brook Waimārama Sanctuary – an extraordinary part of New Zealand.
Visit us today!
The Brook Waimārama Sanctuary is the largest fenced Sanctuary for endangered plants and creatures in the South Island.
Just a 10-minute drive from Nelson City but tucked away, immerse yourself in the natural beauty of New Zealand’s native bush. Take a deep breath and engage.
“We endeavour to connect visitors, staff, and volunteers with nature. Our goal is to encourage environmental responsibility and contribute to the restoration of local and national ecosystems. We hope that visitors will experience the mauri (life force), vital essence, and spirituality of this natural environment.”
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🌿 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
Jul 2
🌿 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
Jul 1
🐦 Kiwi Check-In: All Tagged and Thriving
Over the past week, the tracked kiwi pukupuku at the Sanctuary have each had their radio transmitters replaced — part of a vital effort to monitor their wellbeing without disturbing them during the upcoming breeding season.
The new transmitters are longer-lasting and will allow for hands-off monitoring over the coming months. Encouragingly, all the kiwi caught for checks were in great condition — all had maintained, and most had even gained weight. That’s not always the case after a translocation, and it’s a strong sign that our new residents are healthy, happy, and adapting well to their new home.
📍 They’ve now been tracked across almost every part of the Sanctuary, steadily spreading out and establishing territories.
As a special thank you during National Volunteer Week, Tamsin from the Save the Kiwi team hosted an engaging kiwi kōrero for our volunteers — complete with kiwi calls, transmitter demos, and even a whiff of kiwi poo! 🥴💚
Ngā mihi to the Save the Kiwi crew and all our volunteers and staff involved in this important mahi.
#BrookSanctuary #BringingKiwiHome #KiwiComeback #SaveTheKiwi #SanctuaryStories #NgahereWhānau #NativeWildlifeNZ
Jun 27
🍄 Go Fungi Spotting with Rebecca!
Join us for a magical wander through the forest floor at the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary — where mushrooms pop, spores fly, and fungi reign supreme!
🗓️ Saturday 28 June
⏰ 9:30am – 11:30am
📍 Brook Waimārama Sanctuary
🎟️ $45 – Limited spots available
Led by the wonderful Rebecca Bowater (award-winning nature photographer and, fungi expert), this guided tour is your chance to uncover the weird and wonderful world of native fungi.
From puffballs to slime moulds, discover the unsung heroes of the ngahere. No science degree needed, just bring your curiosity, walking shoes, and maybe a camera to capture the forest’s tiny marvels.
👉 Book now via our website under Guided Tours & Experiences: Link in bio
#BrookSanctuary #GuidedTour #FungiWalk #RebeccaBowater #NgahereNeighbours #NelsonNZ #NatureWalk #FungiLovers
Jun 25
🦆 Pūtangitangi on Patrol
Mondays are our quietest day, with the Sanctuary closed to visitors. That’s when the locals take over.
This pūtangitangi (paradise shelduck) pair was spotted patrolling the decking and lawn outside the Visitor Centre, keeping a close eye on their patch. Bold, vocal, and mostly always in pairs, these native ducks are well at home here.
They’re not rare, often nesting near the riverbed, roaming the forest edges, or checking the picnic tables for action.
It’s their Sanctuary, and it`s always a joy to see them making the rounds.
#BrookSanctuary #Pūtangitangi #ParadiseShelduck #NgahereNeighbours #SanctuaryStories #NativeBirdsNZ
Jun 24
🕳️ 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
Jun 23
