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Haere mai / welcome to

The Brook Waimārama Sanctuary – a very special part of New Zealand

The Brook Waimārama Sanctuary is the largest fenced Sanctuary for endangered plants and creatures in the South Island.

Close to Nelson city but hidden away, immerse yourself in the natural beauty of New Zealand native bush, breathe deeply and engage.

We want to connect people (visitors, our staff and volunteers) with the natural world in a way that promotes environmental responsibility and contributes to the restoration of our local and national ecosystems.

We hope visitors will experience the mauri (life force), vital essence and spirituality of this natural environment.

We are enriching the future – come join us here at the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary.

Get Involved; Brook Waimārama Sanctuary

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

We welcome your help: hands-on or from a distance.

GET INVOLVED
Brook Waimārama Sanctuary; Children: Students; Education Inspiring The Next Generation; Learning; Rick Field

EDUCATION AT THE SANCTUARY

It’s never too late to learn about how we can care for and interact with nature.

BOOK A GROUP VISIT
Brook Waimārama Sanctuary; Visitor Centre; Walks And Facilities

SANCTUARY WALKS & FACILITIES

Be inspired by our 690-ha protected ecosystem just 6km from Nelson’s central city.

LEARN MORE
Brook Waimārama Sanctuary; Green Spider;

OUR NATIVE WILDLIFE AND PLANTS

Discover the extraordinary in our backyard.

Learn More

Find us on Instagram

@brooksanctuary

Share your photos with us #brooksanctuary

On Saturday afternoon amongst the sound of cicada and birdsong, we hosted our final Beech Glade session of the summer season ☀️☀️ 

Thank you to the talented musicians from Back Of Beyond who played a stunning improvised set that spanned folk and world music to blues, grassroots and even the occasional impromptu flute solo to accompany the korimako and Tūī song 🎵🌈

We have one more very special event coming up at this magical venue before the autumn settles in. Join us at 4pm, Saturday 16 March for ‘A Rare Bird’, presented by Playtime Theatre 🎭 🎟️ Very limited tickets remaining via www.brooksanctuary.org.nz/events

#brooksanctuary #brooksanctuarynelson #music #live #concert #sanctuary #backofbeyond #forest #performance #nelson #whattodo #whatson
Spotted in the Sanctuary! 🌿🌿 Meet New Zealand’s largest dragonfly, The Bush Giant Dragonfly aka 𝘜𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘪 , kapokapowai and/or Carové’s Giant Dragonfly

𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰? 

🔍 Kapokapowai are found in native forests throughout the North Island, top of the South, and from the West Coast to West Southland. 🌍

🔍 Kapokapowai means ‘water snatcher’, which is a reference to the way naiads (larvae) shoot out their long, extendable jaws to grab prey 

🔍 Both males and females are dark brown with pale yellow spots along their thorax and abdomen. This colouration may break up their outline, making them more difficult to spot, which is a type of camouflage known as ‘disruptive colouration’. 

🔍 Females lay their eggs along shaded stream beds using their ovipositors to attach eggs to clumps of moss. When the eggs hatch, the naiads (larvae) tunnel into soft earth where they live in a chamber half-filled with water for about five years. They emerge only at night to snatch prey with their extendable jaws 

🔍 Dragonflies are skilled insect predators with big eyes, strong wings, and impressive agility. Kapokapowai nab prey mid-air, snatching butterflies, cicadas, and even wasps 🦟

The best time to see Kapokapowai adults flying around is from mid-November to mid-May. Visit the Sanctuary today to see these impressive critters in action! 

📷: Alistair Jerrett
You might have spotted Moana the Moa on a joyride through town this morning! She’ll be hanging out at her new temporary home at @nelsonairportnewzealand to welcome visitors to the region over the next few weeks. 

If you’re stopping by, Make sure to get a pic with her and tag #brooksanctuary so we can check that she is on her best behaviour ! 

✈️☘️🌿

STRATEGIC SUPPORTERS

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MAJOR SUPPORTERS

Sponsors; J&E Reuhl; logos
Sponsors; kumanu; logos
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Sponsors; Simplicity; logos
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