SUMMER HOURS – GUIDED WALKS – NEW STAFF – RADIO SHOW: The Brook Sanctuary

• From 26 December through to 3 January we are open every day 9.00am to 5.00pm

• From Tuesday 5 January till the end of February we are open six days a week 9.00am-5.00pm, Mondays we are closed

• Opening times and days may be found on our website or Facebook page.

Many visitors ask for guided walks and we are pleased to now be able to offer regular guided tours through the Sanctuary for anyone wanting to maximise their knowledge and/or time while visiting.

Each tour is a gentle walk of 60-90 minutes, with several stops and points of interest being pointed out. Our experienced volunteer guides will be explaining:

• The history of the valleys and the dams

• Stories of the bush including history and Māori use of plants

• The plants and animals around us

• The conservation work we are doing and why it’s important for all of us.

The tours depart at 10.30am from the Visitor Centre, every Sunday, and other selected days during the summer (please check our website for details). Visitors are encouraged to stay on and explore the Sanctuary further after the guided walk. Tours can be booked via our website https://www.brooksanctuary.org.nz/what-to…/guided-tours

Thanks to the support of the Kaimahi Jobs for Nature initiative we have been able to employ two part-time coordinators for the Visitor Centre, Kirsten Roedsgaard-Mathiesen (started in mid December) and Katie Gray (starting early January) to help cover the next busy months. You will meet them at the visitor centre alongside the friendly volunteers without whose hard work the Sanctuary wouldn’t be where it is today – a thriving eco haven.

Early in the new year, the Sanctuary will host a fortnightly show (Wednesdays at 9am) on Nelson’s community radio station, Fresh FM, focusing on important updates, progress, the various roles of the hundreds of volunteers, the roles of the small staff, the birds etc. The show will be repeated the following week (same weekday and time slot) and will be hosted by our new Visitor Centre Coordinator, Kirsten Roedsgaard-Mathiesen.