Book a school visit to the Sanctuary
EDUCATION IN THE SANCTUARY
Through our education work the Sanctuary is inspiring the next generation; we’re working with Te Tau Ihu (Top of the South) schools and training providers to be actively involved in conservation activities, allowing ‘learning by doing’.
Our fully equipped Beech Glade classroom is an ideal space from which to watch and listen for birds. Made possible through the generosity of one of our local iwi, Ngati Kuia, & Transpower, this immersive classroom even has wifi and class sets of binoculars!
There is a fee of $5 per New Zealand primary and secondary school student, as well as for accompanying adults. Teachers and school staff attend free of charge. A minimum booking of 10 students applies.
Complete the form below to start the process to organise your school visit to the Sanctuary. The form requests you upload a completed RAMS form which can be downloaded below.
Click here to download a PDF version of our RAMS form.
Click here to download an editable version of our RAMS form.
Stay informed: follow our Facebook page, and read the latest copy of our quarterly newsletter here.
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EXPERIENCE THE SANCTUARY AFTER DARK – 25% OFF! 🌿✨
Step beyond the gates and into a forest transformed by night.
Join us for “A Night in the Forest”, our guided night tour through Brook Waimārama Sanctuary. Discover glowing glow worms, listen to the sounds of the nocturnal forest, and keep your ears open for the distinctive call of a kiwi. 🥝🌌
Along the way, hear how the Sanctuary’s conservation work is helping restore native forest and protect some of Aotearoa’s most precious wildlife.
🎟️ GET 25% OFF
Book your night tour for August or September 2026 and use code: NIGHT25
✨ New bookings only
🌿 Every booking helps support the Sanctuary and its conservation work
🌙 Spaces are limited
👉 Book now: www.brooksanctuary.org.nz/visit/guided-tours-experiences
Come after dark. Discover a different side of the Sanctuary. 🌌
#BrookWaimāramaSanctuary #WaimāramaSanctuary #SanctuaryAfterDark #NightTour #NightInTheForest #NelsonNZ #NelsonTasman #VisitNelson #ExploreNelson
Aug 10
The Sanctuary is nestled into what seems like an untouched forest of around 166,000 hectares! The Richmond forest however, is not untouched by the paws and hoofs of invasive mammals. The understory is thin, dominated by inedible crown ferns and horopito. Mistletoes are sparse, snails are munched, and birds are few and far between.
This video depicts the stark contrast between forest that has never received pest control, and the pest-free Brook Waimārama Sanctuary. The Sanctuary`s plant and bird communities have bounced back incredibly after 9 years without mammalian pests. Listen to the overwhelming sounds of korimako, tūī, and even the kākāriki karaka that narrowly escaped extinction.
We expect that in 9 years from now, the Sanctuary will look even more starkly different, with mistletoes taking over the forest, kākā reigning the skies, and a wildly diverse birdsong.
#brookwaimāramasanctuary
Aug 10
✨ When the lights go out, the stars come alive... 🌌
On a clear night, the skies above Brook Waimārama Sanctuary put on an unforgettable show. Framed by native forest the Milky Way stretches overhead in all its glory, creating a truly magical experience.
Join one of our Night Tours and discover the Sanctuary after dark. Listen for the calls of our nocturnal wildlife, experience the forest in a whole new way, and, if the skies are clear, look up for a breathtaking view of the stars.
🌟 Clear skies. Native forest. Wildlife after dark.
🌿 A night you`ll never forget.
📍 Book your Night Tour and experience Brook Waimārama Sanctuary after sunset - tours run throughout the year!
www.brooksanctuary.org.nz/visit/guided-tours-experiences
@nelsontasmannz
#BrookWaimaramaSanctuary #NightTour #DarkSky #MilkyWay #Stargazing #NatureNZ #NelsonTasman #VisitNelson #Conservation #newzealandnature
Aug 8
𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 🍃
Gather at The Beech Glade classroom, within the beautiful Brook Waimārama Sanctuary, for a gentle and grounding hour of guided meditation in nature this Sunday, 9 August - 9:00am–10:00am.
This session weaves together simple seated and walking practices designed to help focus and quieten the mind, supporting a deeper experience of presence and awareness. Surrounded by the sounds and stillness of the natural world, you’ll be invited to slow down, reconnect, and come home to Presence.
Aug 6
🌿 Become a Kaitiaki of Brook Waimārama Sanctuary 🌿
Is your business passionate about conservation, community, and protecting Aotearoa`s unique wildlife?
By becoming a Kaitiaki Member, you`ll help support the vital work that keeps Brook Waimārama Sanctuary thriving, while also raising your business profile through a meaningful local partnership.
Your membership supports:
✨ Pest control and habitat restoration
✨ Protection of native species
✨ Environmental education programmes
✨ Community engagement initiatives
✨ The long-term future of the Sanctuary
As a Kaitiaki, your business will receive:
🤝 Opportunities for collaboration and social media promotion
🌐 Recognition on our website, including a link to your business
📧 Exposure through our newsletter reaching more than 5,000 subscribers
🏷️ Display the Sanctuary logo on your website or marketing materials.
✨5 individual or 2 family memberships and 10 general admission passes to share
✨20% off tours for your team or clients, up to 10 people
Every Kaitiaki plays a part in creating a safe haven for native wildlife and helping nature flourish for future generations.
Ready to make a difference? Join our growing community of Kaitiaki today.
Know a business that would be a great fit? Tag them below or put them in touch with us.
www.brooksanctuary.org.nz/support-us/kaitiaki
#BrookWaimāramaSanctuary #Kaitiaki #Conservation #NelsonTasman #CommunityPartnership #ProtectNature #SupportLocal
Aug 5
Did you know that moa may have been responsible for dispersing the spores of New Zealand mushrooms?!
Fossil moa poo have been found containing spores of our bright and truffle-like fungi species.
While the moa are long since extinct, the fungi remain common today, especially in the Sanctuary. The scarlet berry truffle, and scarlet pouch fungus are easily mistaken for kareo fruit, or supplejack. This may be a key to their dispersal method... deception!
This is one of the many examples of the evolutionary vestiges in the ecosystems of Aotearoa, having recently lost one of the driving forces of our terrestrial ecosystems. Though the whole world has lost their megafauna, few have lost large herbivorous flightless birds like us.
#moa #fungi #brookwaimaramasanctuary #birds #wildlife #sanctuary
Jul 31
