The Brook Waimārama Sanctuary held an open day on Sunday with hundreds of locals getting back to nature at the largest fenced sanctuary in Te Wai Pounamu (the South Island).
Organiser Tess Cimino says her expectations for the turnout were exceeded, and it was a “cool experience” for attendees to go on guided walks and grow their knowledge of the conservation work, flora and fauna and the endangered creatures within the 690-hectare site.
“We want to promote the sanctuary and get people outdoors, and it’s a great experience to have it open for free to have people who can’t afford to come with the regular entrance fees,” she says.
“We hope that visitors can come back and have a greater appreciation for everything that our volunteers have been doing here, whether that’s buying a yearly pass, or becoming a volunteer, we’d love to have their support in whatever way that looks like.
“We’re getting tuatara within the next month and the kākāriki karaka [New Zealand’s rarest parakeet] is also here, so bringing people close to species that are endangered or almost extinct is a pretty cool experience as well.”
Tess says the sanctuary’s annual Sculpt Nature symposium and competition was also flourishing at the park until 27 October, which showcases seven artists’ sculptures made from natural materials.
