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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🎨 Colouring Competition Wrap-Up!
We’ve been blown away by the response to our Kiwi Colouring Competition — with 187 amazing entries from tamariki across the region!
A huge thank you to everyone who took part, and to our friends at Nelson Public Libraries for partnering with us on this fun school holiday activity 💚
The beautiful kiwi design was created by Steffi @muci_illustration , one of our amazing ecologists at Brook Waimārama Sanctuary, who has been helping to lead the kiwi translocation and bring the kiwi pukupuku back to Nelson.
Here she is colouring in her own design! We love seeing the creative process come full circle!
🏆 Winners will be selected from three age groups:
5 & under
6–9
10+
@nelsonpubliclibraries will be contacting the winners early next week, and prizes will be ready to collect from Elma Turner Library in Nelson starting Monday 5 May.
Keep an eye on your inbox — and thank you again for helping us celebrate the return of kiwi pukupuku to Nelson in such a colourful way! 🌿🐦
#KiwiColouringComp #BringingKiwiHome #BrookSanctuary #NelsonLibraries #KiwiPukupuku #KiwiKids #CreativeTamariki #BringingKiwiHome #KiwiComeback #ConservationNZ #NelsonNZ #SaveTheKiwi #TeamKiwiNelson
May 1
🏆 Last Chance to Enter!
Entries close tonight for our Kiwi Release Competition!
This is your final chance to be part of something unforgettable — helping release one of the first little spotted kiwi back into the South Island in nearly 100 years. 🐦💚
🎁 The winner will also receive:
🧸 A cuddly kiwi toy
👕 A limited-edition t-shirt
🎟 And a once-in-a-lifetime role in a kiwi release at Brook Waimārama Sanctuary
✅ Enter now via the link in our bio (or visit https://www.brooksanctuary.org.nz/bringing-kiwi-home/kids-kiwi-release-competition)
📅 Entries close 11:59pm tonight – 30 April
Don’t miss this chance to be part of history!
Photo credit: Andrew Digby
#BringingKiwiHome #KiwiReleaseComp #KiwiPukupuku #BrookSanctuary #KiwiComeback #LastChanceToEnter #KiwiPukupuku #NelsonNZ #ConservationNZ #NelsonNZ #SaveTheKiwi #TeamKiwiNelson
Apr 30
🐦Kāpiti Kiwi’s Mission: Is Nelson ready to welcome his kiwi friends home?
Meet Kāpiti Kiwi, our adventurous little kiwi pukupuku toy, who’s been spotted all over town getting the lay of the land ahead of the real kiwi release this May!
He’s been out exploring Nelson — checking out the best local spots, meeting friendly faces, and reporting back to his kiwi crew on what a wonderful and welcoming place Nelson Whakatū is to live 💚
So far Kāpiti Kiwi has been spotted:
📍Relaxing on Tahunanui Beach
📍Exploring up at the @foundersparknelson
📍Providing a guest appearance at @_fresh_fm_
📍Going for a walk around Cable Bay
📍Soaking up some of Nelson`s rich music culture at @theatreroyalnelson and @nelsoncentreofmusicalarts
👀 Keep an eye out for Bringing Kiwi Home stickers in shop windows and around town!
📸 If you find one, take a selfie with it and tag @brooksanctuary with #BringingKiwiHome
🧸Take Kāpiti kiwi for an adventure at your local business
- Organisations can borrow our Kāpiti kiwi stuffed toy from the Sanctuary City office. You can then take pictures of the kiwi at your place of work to show your support and help raise awareness
Kiwi toys and new merchandise will be available to buy from mid-May at the Sanctuary.
Let’s show these little birds that Nelson is ready to welcome them home.
This is their place. And we’re their people. 💚
#BringingKiwiHome #KapitiKiwi #BrookSanctuary #KiwiComeback #KiwiPukupuku #FindTheKiwi #NelsonNZ #ConservationNZ #NelsonNZ #SaveTheKiwi #TeamKiwiNelson
Apr 29
🗓️ 1 Week to Go!
There’s just one week left to enter our special Kiwi Release Competition!
We’re giving one lucky winner the chance to be part of history — by helping release a kiwi pukupuku into Brook Waimārama Sanctuary this May 💚
It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and entering is easy:
✅ Fill out the entry form via the link in our bio
✅ Follow @brooksanctuary (optional)
✅ Share the competition post with your friends! (optional)
🎁 You’ll also go in the draw to win a limited-edition t-shirt and a cuddly kiwi plush toy.
📅 Entries close: Wednesday 30th April
Be part of this historic homecoming — don’t miss out!
👉 Enter now: Link in bio
#GetToKnowKiwi #KiwiPukupuku #BringingKiwiHome #BrookSanctuary #LittleSpottedKiwi #KiwiComeback #ConservationNZ #KiwiComeback #NelsonNZ #SaveTheKiwi #TeamKiwiNelson
Apr 24
🐦 Get to Know the Little Spotted Kiwi
Before they arrive in Nelson, here’s what makes kiwi pukupuku so special.
They might be the smallest of Aotearoa’s five kiwi species, but kiwi pukupuku are anything but timid.
These flightless, nocturnal birds spend their days tucked away in cosy burrows, hollow logs, or hidden beneath dense bush — but once night falls, they’re on the move.
🗣️ They’re surprisingly vocal, too. Males call out with a high-pitched rising whistle, while females respond with a slower, lower trill. Both will often repeat their calls 25–35 times in a row, duetting to stay in touch.
🪶 They’re also fiercely territorial. Clashes with neighbours can get dramatic — with sharp claws and flurries of feathers left behind!
🍽️ What’s on the menu?
Earthworms, beetle larvae, cicada grubs, moths, spiders, and the occasional fallen fruit or leaf.
👀 How do you spot one?
They’re small and pale, with light brown-grey feathers finely banded with white, a long pale bill, and short pale legs and toes.
🆚 Lookalike alert: Juvenile great spotted kiwi can look similar but are darker overall, with dark legs and toes.
And here’s a sweet fact: only the male incubates the egg — one or two large white eggs, laid between July and January.
This May, 40 kiwi pukupuku will return to the South Island for the first time in nearly 100 years — settling into their new home at Brook Waimārama Sanctuary.
Let’s give them the welcome they deserve 💚
Credit @savethekiwinz for the photo
#GetToKnowKiwi #KiwiPukupuku #BringingKiwiHome #BrookSanctuary #LittleSpottedKiwi #KiwiComeback #ConservationNZ #KiwiComeback #NelsonNZ #SaveTheKiwi #TeamKiwiNelson
Apr 22
🎨 Kiwi Colouring Competition – School Holiday Fun! 🥝
Looking for something to do these school holidays?
Download our kiwi-themed colouring sheet and bring your masterpiece into any Nelson Library to go in the draw to win!
✨ Prizes for each age group include:
🧸 A cuddly kiwi plush toy
🎟 A free Brook Waimārama Sanctuary family pass
🖍️ Don’t forget to write your name, age, and phone number on the back so we can get in touch if you win!
🗓️ Entries close 30 April 2025
📥 Download the colouring sheets here:
👉https://www.brooksanctuary.org.nz/bringing-kiwi-home/kids-colouring-competition
Brought to you in collaboration with Nelson Public Libraries 📚
Questions? Contact: library@ncc.govt.nz
#BringingKiwiHome #KiwiColouringComp #BrookSanctuary #NelsonLibraries #KiwiKids #SchoolHolidayFun #ConservationForKids #KiwiComeback #KiwiPukupuku #ConservationNZ #NelsonNZ #TeamKiwiNelson
Apr 21
