Discover Natural Beauty and Wildlife in The Brook
The Brook Waimarama Sanctuary offers an enchanting escape in The Brook, Nelson, perfect for nature lovers and families alike. This expansive park is celebrated for its lush greenery, diverse native flora and fauna, and peaceful walking trails that immerse visitors in the sounds and sights of the wild. Guided tours reveal the magic of nocturnal creatures like tuataras and glow worms, while informative signage and volunteer guides enrich every visit. Whether you’re enjoying a daytime stroll or a mystical night tour, the sanctuary’s dedication to conservation shines through, providing a unique and rejuvenating experience close to the city.
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Laura Carolina
a month agoLovely place for a walk among greenery, birdsong and rushing water (this is July, after a lot of rain). Good signage throughout, directional and instructional, about the flora and fauna. There are picnic areas, benches, footbridges, historic dams and a gift shop at the visitor centre. Volunteer staff will offer suggestions for walking routes. I walked The Loop, Valley Track partway (temporarily closed farther on), Nikau Track and The Loop’s west side - a very enjoyable hour or so. The fencing, traps, tracking tunnels, small staff and many volunteers help to keep this area a true sanctuary for New Zealand plants, animals, fungi and birds.
Basia Mackenzie
3 weeks agoOur group went on the "A Night in the Forest" tour to see tuataras, glow worms and possibly a kiwi. We were led two knowledgeable guides, Eve and Erwin, who were a font of knowledge about the Sanctuary and the wildlife within it. There was something very grounding and peaceful about walking through nature in the almost dark - all senses were heightened re the sounds, the smells and the sights. It was a magical evening. Thank you!
Daniel Thomas
5 months agoThe team at the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary have got something special cooking here. $25 to enter, which goes towards the sanctuary, gets your good deed done for the day. Entering this gated piece of native bush you will wonder if this is a start to a Jurassic Park sequel but in reality this is a Disney movie where you’ll be serenaded by native new zealand birds. Don’t speak bird but sure sounded like they were having a good time. Well worth a visit if you’re in the nelson area.
Ali Boswijk
a month agoWe loved our nighttime visit to the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary Within five minutes of setting off we were serenaded by a Kiwi Pukupuku, - very exciting to hear it this close to home. A Tuatara was hanging out in the entrance to its burrow, much bigger than I expected and the banks of glow worms were magical. The guide was great and made the whole tour much more interesting. We will definitely be going again and looking forward to taking friends from overseas. Very lucky to have this on our doorstep.
Sir_Alexander_ Dane
12 months agoIt's one of the finest predator free areas in New Zealand. Building the fence must have been extremely challenging. Inside is a forest that is not being degraded by goats, stoats and rats. That alone makes it worth a visit. Of course there is more. The Orange-fronted Parakeet ( it has many names) was re-introduced . The population here is the largest anywhere ( I'm pretty sure). Great staff. Great Birding, really great Birding. 🐦