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🌿Brook Waimārama Sanctuary Open Days

Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th March 2026 | 10:00am – 4:00pm

Join us for Nelson’s Big Green Day Out! Enjoy a free family day out at the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary.

Located just minutes from Nelson’s city centre, the ...Sanctuary is opening its gates for a full weekend of free activities designed to help people connect with nature.

What’s Happening Across the Weekend

Whether you’re a nature lover, a foodie, or simply looking for a relaxed day out, there’s something here for everyone. Across the weekend, you’ll find:

🦎 Explore up to 15kms of walking tracks in a pristine forest
☕ Delicious street food, coffee and real fruit ice cream
🖍️ Workshops and hands-on learning
🎨 Arts, crafts and Kids’ activities for all ages
⛺ Explore community stall holders
🌿 Stationed talks with conservation experts
📍 A silent auction supporting the Sanctuary’s work
🕶️ Virtual-reality kiwi experience — get closer than ever to one of Aotearoa’s most iconic birds

Make a Day of It

Bring the whānau, bring your friends and soak up the atmosphere. The Big Green Day Out is the perfect chance to reconnect with nature, support local conservation, and enjoy a vibrant community event right in the heart of Nelson.

🌿What another significant milestone — and a true collaboration.

For the first time, eggs from the critically endangered kākāriki karaka / orange-fronted parakeet have been retrieved from a nest in the Sanctuary and flown to Christchurch for hatching.

DOC rangers carefully ...removed the eggs from a tree cavity using a special scoop on a pole. The eggs were then transported by air and placed under surrogate parents at Peacock Springs' captive breeding facility.

This milestone highlights the power of collaboration between us, Department of Conservation, The Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust, and our conservation partners — and shows how every single egg counts in the recovery of this remarkable species.

Video credit: Rob Edwards

🌿 Welcoming kākā to the Sanctuary!

What an exciting moment to finally welcome kākā to the Sanctuary.

Following a moving iwi-led Tuku Taonga welcoming ceremony — joined by Sanctuary volunteers, supporters, and many of the people who worked tirelessly to bring these birds ...to Nelson.

For now, they will be cared for by our dedicated team alongside Natureland Wildlife Trust before their eventual release from the temporary holding aviary.

🌿 Post-release care is just as important:
📡 The kākā have been fitted with transmitters and banded so we can monitor their movements and wellbeing.
🤝 With support from Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Natureland Wildlife Trust, World Parrot Trust and the Department of Conservation, we’ll be closely tracking their progress as they settle into their new home.

We can’t wait for the day these remarkable birds leave the aviary, spread their wings and begin exploring the Sanctuary.

Thanks to our supporters, including the Dunedin Botanic Garden Aviary – South Island kākā programme.

🎥 Live kākā Cam: www.brooksanctuary.org.nz/live-camera

A special moment for the Sanctuary — seeing a thriving population of kākāriki karaka is a powerful reminder of what dedicated conservation can achieve.

We appreciate the amazing work our volunteers and staff do, to protect the largest pest-free Sanctuary in the South Island.

...Ngā mihi to the kākāriki karaka team from the Department of Conservation, The Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.

The recovery of kākāriki karaka is a great example of what can be achieved when organisations work together with a shared purpose.
Read more: https://bit.ly/4rkMx5v

A landmark moment for Brook Waimārama Sanctuary 🌿

Yesterday we welcomed three kākā to the Sanctuary. They have now been safely transferred into their temporary aviary, where they’ll spend time settling in before their eventual release into the ngahere.

This exciting ...milestone reflects the dedication of our incredible volunteers and staff whose ongoing mahi keeps the Sanctuary thriving. It’s also thanks to everyone who supported the aviary project and the return of kākā to the valley.

A special thank you as well to Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō who lead a Tuku Taonga to formally acknowledge the gifting and return of this taonga species within our rohe, Natureland Wildlife Trust Department of Conservation for their work behind the scenes and Air New Zealand, Bowater Motor Group, Nelson Airport New Zealand for their support and partnership in helping bring kākā back to this special place.

We’re looking forward to the day these remarkable birds spread their wings and explore their new home.

Be sure to stop by our website and check out our live kākā cam!
🌐 www.brooksanctuary.org.nz/live-camera

Nelson Tasman

📢 Sanctuary Closure Notice – Tuesday 10th March

The Brook Sanctuary will be closed to the public on Tuesday 10th March as we welcome kākā to the Sanctuary.

This is an exciting and significant milestone, and the temporary closure allows our team and Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō... to ensure the birds settle safely into their temporary aviary before being released into the ngahere (forest) at a later date.

We will reopen on Wednesday, and we look forward to welcoming visitors back to the Sanctuary to enjoy the many tracks.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we continue restoring our native wildlife. 🌿

#BrookWaimāramaSanctuary #Kākā #ConservationNZ #NelsonNZ #PredatorFree #NativeWildlife #Biodiversity

Great morning at the @kiwikidstry - Sanitarium Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon! Awesome to be there showcasing the Sanctuary and the incredible mahi we do.

Our Virtual Reality Kiwi experience was a real highlight.

Thanks to @bowatermotors and @toyota for hosting us under their ...marquee.

#WeetBixTRYathlon #BrookSanctuary #kiwiconservation #VirtualReality #Kiwi