Our Brookby site is our unofficial headquarters and the longest-running site in our network. Located on the stunning 72-hectare Donald’s Farm, a working dairy farm generously gifted by Donald Pearson to the Young Farmers Trust, this special place is at the heart of everything we do. Brookby is an adventure-filled, hands-on outdoor space designed to keep tamariki engaged and inspired.
The diverse environment includes:
- A beautiful ngahere (forest) perfect for exploration and free play.
- A purpose built firepit for cooking and warmth.
- A shed for crafting and woodworking.
- A woodworking shed for hands-on skill-building.
- Permanent features developed with the children, including a slackline, zipline, and tree hut.
- Rat trapping stations for conservation learning.
- A working dairy farm where children get to experience farm life firsthand.
This programme is led by Alex and Deirdre, who have been with Nature’s Den since the very beginning. Their extensive experience and passion for nature education create a safe, enriching, and dynamic environment for all tamariki. Each day at Brookby is a blend of child-led learning and structured activities, ensuring children are engaged and constantly discovering new things.
Activities may include:
- Exploring the forest, trees, and supplejack vines.
- Whittling, carving, and woodworking.
- Cooking kai (food) on the campfire.
- Shelter building & tree hut development.
- Foraging/plant ID.
- Rat trapping and tree planting for conservation learning.
- Occasional farm exploration – calving season is a favourite!
Our programme thrives on the Tuakana-Teina learning model, where older children mentor and support younger ones, fostering a strong sense of community, leadership, and shared responsibility. To ensure a high-quality experience, we take a maximum of 24 tamariki and maintain a 1:8 educator ratio.
This programme meets next to the chicken farm on Ara-Kotinga Road, Brookby.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Our programme is led by registered and experienced teachers, supported by amazing and passionate teaching assistants.
Drop-off time is between 8:30am – 8:45am. Pick-up time is between 2:45pm – 3:00pm.
Term fees can be paid weekly or fortnightly, with the first payment due the day before the programme begins.
Exact meet-up location instructions will be emailed out closer to the time.