Image: Russell Street | Creative Commons
Kākā at Pukaha Mount Bruce Wildlife Centre.
Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre

Located in the Wairarapa region

You can see conservation in action at the Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre in the northern Wairarapa. Tuatara, kōkako, kiwi and takahē are all permanent residents here.

Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre is located on SH2, 30 km north of Masterton and 10 km south of Eketahuna.

It takes about 2 hours to drive from Wellington or Napier and about 1 hour from Palmerston North.

Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre also has a visitor centre, café, education programmes, stunning interactive displays, and wheelchair access tracks through native bush.

Encounter kākā and eel at their daily feeding.

Visit the Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre website for opening hours, entrance fees and volunteer opportunities.

The captive residents include tuatara, the "living fossil" that roamed the earth at the same time as the dinosaurs.

Outside the centre you can explore the last remaining remnant of this once majestic forest. Surrounded by ancient forest trees and free flying native birds, you'll get a sense of how New Zealand used to be. Encounter wild kākā, kōkako, stitchbird, takahē and kākāriki.

Make your way up to the summit via the Te Arapiki o Tawhaki walking track and you may be lucky enough to glimpse reintroduced kōkako or hear their haunting song. Nocturnal kiwi have also been returned to the forest.