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LOCATIONS
BROOKBY
Term & Holiday Programme
Our Brookby site is the heart of Nature’s Den - our HQ and longest-running programme. 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.
Our base is set next to a sprawling 11-hectare native forest block, we are blessed to have our own dedicated learning space designed for exploration and adventure. This site features a diverse environment where tamariki can engage in hands-on learning, from roaming the forest to creating in our very own barn.
The barn is home to our woodworking station and provides a sturdy shelter for tinkering and crafting on those very wet days. With plenty of room to explore, children have the freedom to practice woodworking, build resilience, and develop a deep connection with the natural world in a safe, enriching farm environment.
Our Brookby site is located on Ara-Kotinga, Whitford. Next door to the chicken farm at the end of Whitford Park Road.
CHURCHILL PARK
Term & Holiday Programme
Set within the beautiful 40-hectare Churchill Park in Glendowie – a place rich in history and natural charm.
Once part of ‘Glendowie Farm’, the park features rolling pastures on the upper slopes, peaceful woodlands and bush areas on the lower slopes, and even the occasional grazing cattle. It’s a special mix of urban and rural environments that makes every day here unique.
Based just outside the Churchill Park Scout Den, our days are filled with adventure – whittling, bush walks, exploring the stream (home to some very cool eels!), and learning essential outdoor skills like shelter building and cooking over a fire.
We will meet outside the Churchill Park Scout Hall, located at 19 Kinsale Avenue, Glendowie.
LITTLE SHOAL BAY
Term & Holiday Programme
Our Little Shoal Bay programme is based on Auckland’s lower North Shore, with the Birkenhead Sea Scouts Hall as our meeting point. While it's our base, we spend 99% of our time outdoors, making the most of the stunning natural surroundings of Little Shoal Bay and beyond.
This area offers a rich and dynamic environment for children to explore. The tidal beach is perfect for crab-hunting adventures when the tide is out and provides a shallow, refreshing spot to cool off during summer. Just across the road, Le Roys Bush invites further discovery, with its lush native bush, winding trails, and a stream home to longfin eels and other native wildlife.
Our days are filled with adventure – shelter building, whittling, discovering local flora and fauna, self-directed nature play, bushwalks, exploring the beach and streams, and learning essential outdoor skills like safe tool use and fire cooking.
We will meet outside the Birkenhead Sea Scouts Den, located at 6 Council Terrace, Northcote.
PUKEKOHE
Holiday Programme Only
Our Pukekohe site is truly a breathtaking location, offering a serene and beautiful setting for our young explorers. Our base is nestled inside a 10-hectare native bush block, a perfect natural playground for young children to explore.
This stunning spot is filled with the sound of birdsong and features a gorgeous waterfall and a small stream, showcasing just a few of the many beauties found on this farm.
The environment is designed to spark curiosity and wonder, featuring a massive mud pit that is always a highlight for our young adventurers!
Whether they are investigating the stream, navigating the bush trails, or enjoying the freedom of outdoor play, tamariki at Pukekohe are given the space to grow in confidence and creativity in one of Auckland’s most picturesque nature spots.
Our Pukekohe site is located on a private farm on Ray Wright Road, Pukekohe.
WESTERN SPRINGS
Holiday Programme Only
Set within the beautiful 40-hectare
Western Springs Lakeside Park in central Auckland, it is packed with exciting and diverse play spaces, making it the perfect setting for outdoor adventure.
With wide open fields, clusters of trees for hut building and climbing, steep slopes for scrambling and sliding, and smooth paths ideal for scooting – there’s something for everyone. The park is also teeming with native wildlife, offering endless opportunities for discovery.
Each day is an outdoor adventure! Activities include whittling, nature crafts, exploratory walks, encounters with the lake’s fascinating residents like eels, and essential bushcraft skills such as shelter building. We always finish off the day by roasting marshmallows over a campfire.
We meet at the Quarry, which is the entrance before the Zoo when coming from Great North Road end.