Reconnect With Nature
Haere Mai | Welcome
Just minutes from Nelson, the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary is the largest fenced wildlife sanctuary for endangered plants and animals in the South Island. Abundant with native species that both delight and surprise, visitors are able to immerse themselves in the beauty of New Zealand native bush, breathe deeply, and truly appreciate our sense of place and mauri (life force).
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. Don’t miss one of the South Island’s top attractions and your chance to hear (or maybe see) a kiwi in its natural habitat.
Lots to see and do
Nestled in Nelson’s Brook Valley, the Sanctuary spans 690 hectares of protected native bush, surrounded by 14.3 kilometres of pest-proof fencing. This predator-free environment enables the safe return of some of Aotearoa’s most endangered species.
The Sanctuary is the largest of its kind in the South Island and the second largest in the country; it is the only sanctuary to feature primarily mature New Zealand beech forest.
- 15km of walking tracks
- 45-minute easy loop walk with waterfalls, sculpture trail, picnic spots and more
- Guided day and night tours
- Home to kiwi, tuatara, the largest population of kākāriki karaka & many other endangered species
- Just 5km from Nelson City Centre
Find out more about our walks, facilities and what you can do at the Sanctuary here.
What’s happening at the Sanctuary?
Translocations, new chicks, competitions, children’s activities, corporate events – there’s always something new happening at the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary!
What’s here?
Meet some of our amazing residents and our incredible flora
Choose your trail
Which trail will you take today? Choose from short, medium and long day walks. Explore some of the best walks in Nelson and immerse yourself in the Sanctuary for a day.
Visitor Reviews
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@brooksanctuary
Share your photos with #brooksanctuary
🎉 WIN A JUNIOR RANGERS MEMBERSHIP! 🌿🐦
We have a very special opportunity for one lucky young nature lover!
Thanks to the generosity of a kind Brook Waimārama Sanctuary supporter, we`re giving away ONE annual Junior Rangers membership to a lucky child! 💚
Our Junior Rangers programme is all about getting kids outdoors, discovering the wonders of nature, learning about our native wildlife and becoming kaitiaki (guardians) of the environment.
The lucky winner will receive:
🌿 An annual Junior Rangers membership
🥝 Kiwi enamel mug + Eugy Tuatara Wooden model
🐦 Opportunities to discover and learn about our native wildlife
🦎 A year of nature-filled adventures at the Sanctuary!
Enter: Link in our bio
Know a young nature enthusiast who would love to be a Junior Ranger? Tag them below!
A huge thank you to our generous supporter for making this possible and helping inspire the next generation of conservationists.
Many hands. One Sanctuary. 💚
#BrookWaimāramaSanctuary #JuniorRangers #NelsonTasman #FutureConservationists #NatureKids
Nov 12
📸 Spring in the ngahere is calling, and so is our photo comp!
Got a favourite shot from the Sanctuary this spring? A tūī in the kōwhai, sunlight on the Brook Stream, a quiet moment on the trail? Enter it for a chance to win 🌿
🏆 Junior (under 18) and Adult Amateur (18+) categories
🎁 A family ticket to a guided night tour, a feature on our newsletter and socials, and your photo printed and displayed at the Visitor Centre
⏰ Entries close 30 November. Submit up to 5 photos via the link in our bio.
Share your shots and tag us @brooksanctuary 💚
📸 credit: Greg Burghardt
#BrookPhotoCompSpringr #BrookSanctuary #NelsonNZ #NewZealandNature #nzbirds
Nov 10
Thanks @kumanunewzealand for the plant donation! This beautiful assortment of eco-sourced native plants will be well appreciated by our birds, bugs and lizards.
Oct 30
A magical kiwi encounter beneath the glowworms! 🌿
Last night’s guided tour delivered a truly special moment, when our visitors had an unexpected encounter with a kiwi! 💚
While taking in the magical glowworms lighting up the forest, our group was treated to an unforgettable sighting of a kiwi moving through the darkness. Moments like these are a beautiful reminder of why we do what we do — protecting precious native wildlife and creating a safe haven where these incredible species can thrive.
Come and experience the magic for yourself! 🌙
Join one of our guided night tours and discover the wonders of the Sanctuary after dark. You never know what special encounters await! we have a 25% discount throughout October to November - use promo code: NIGHT25 when booking online.
📍 Brook Waimārama Sanctuary, Nelson
🎟️ Book your guided night tour today!
🎥Video credit: Joelle
#BrookWaimāramaSanctuary #KiwiEncounter #Kiwi #purenz #nelson
Oct 29
🎭🌿 Junior Rangers Get Creative for the Santa Parade! 🎅
What a fantastic weekend of creativity at Brook Valley Holiday Reserve, Rātā Room ! Our Junior Rangers have been busy making masks for the upcoming Santa Parade in November, and we’ve seen some amazing creations taking shape.
With plenty of imagination and enthusiasm, the kids are now taking their ideas home to keep working on their costumes. We can’t wait to see the finished creations and have our young kaitiaki represent the Sanctuary in the parade! 🎄
A huge thank you to Faye and Karl at @communityartworksnz (Nelson Community Art Works) for generously providing masks, templates and materials for our workshops. Your support helped make these sessions possible, and we’re so grateful for your contribution.
Thanks also to Dave, our Sanctuary volunteer, who is leading our Santa Parade float project, for popping in to talk about the float and getting our Junior Rangers even more excited to be involved!
We love seeing our young kaitiaki getting creative, connecting with nature and representing the Sanctuary in our community. 💚
👉 Check out some of their fantastic creations below!
#BrookWaimāramaSanctuary #JuniorRangers #SantaParade #YoungKaitiaki #NelsonCommunity @brookvalleyholidayreserve
Oct 29
🌿 From the stage to the forest!
A big thank you to the incredible team from @machinedecirque for visiting the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary today - even spotted their very first tuatara!
Visiting Nelson from Québec, Canada, this internationally acclaimed contemporary circus company is bringing its spectacular blend of acrobatics, live music, humour and physical comedy to the @nelson_arts_festival.
It was a pleasure to welcome the team into the Sanctuary and share a little of the special place we’re lucky to have right on Nelson’s doorstep.
Wishing the team all the very best for their performances!
🎪 Find out more about Machine de Cirque and the festival programme: www.nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/machine-de-cirque/
#BrookWaimāramaSanctuary #NelsonArtsFestival #MachineDeCirque #WhakatūNelson #NatureAndCulture
Oct 27
