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Ōrokonui Ecosanctuary

Ōrokonui Ecosanctuary, Dunedin: Hours, Address, Ōrokonui Ecosanctuary Reviews: 4.5/5

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Ōrokonui Ecosanctuary

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Ōrokonui Ecosanctuary
4.5
365
#5 of 99 things to do in Dunedin
Nature & Wildlife Areas
Monday
9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
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About
Our 307 hectare ecosanctuary is the only area of native forest in mainland South Island where indigenous plants and animals can live in the wild without threat from most introduced pests. It is home to some of New Zealand's most fascinating and rare forest wildlife such as Takahē, Kākā, Tūī, Kererū, Tuatara and much more. Our visitor's centre is home to a lovely cafeteria serving classic Kiwi food and coffee roasted on site. Sit by our large fireplace as you enjoy your meal! We are also proud to host weddings both within the ecosanctuary and the visitor's centre! Please get in touch if you are planning your special day!
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4.5
365 reviews
Excellent
282
Very good
64
Average
16
Poor
2
Terrible
1
Karen B
Dunedin, New Zealand24 contributions
Great place for a kids party!!!!!
Sep 2020 • Family
As I've said in a Google review as well, we had our twin grandsons birthday at the Eco Sanctuary at the weekend, and wow what an awesome place for a kids birthday party. The boys and their friends had a blast, Sam was so good with the bunch of 6 year olds!!! They learnt a lot and had fun doing it🙂 we will definitely put the word out a out how awesome this place is and we will be back to take it all in again in the near future. Thanks guys, you are all great !!
Karen and Barry
Written 7 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Orokonui
Hey Karen and Barry, Thank you so much for your kind review!! Our education team are so awesome, we're so glad you all enjoyed the birthday party!!! I think this is an opportunity that not many people are aware of so I really appreciate you taking the time to give us feedback! Do come back soon :)
Written 28 October 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ganice Olivers
Dunedin, New Zealand2 contributions
Really enjoyable!!
Aug 2020
Brilliant time here with my family. Stunning sites and super educational too!!! I will recommending this gem to my friends.
Written 21 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Orokonui
Thank you for visiting!! Come back soon :)
Written 23 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Monica
Auckland, New Zealand11 contributions
Predator free bush
Jul 2020
Lovely native bush in which the wildlife is protected by a predator free fence. Get there by mid day to have enough time to enjoy the walks before the 4:30 closure. Well worth an afternoon.
Written 1 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Orokonui
Thanks so much for visiting and for your review, we agree, arriving in the morning is the best time to enjoy the sanctuary! The birds are fed from 9am finishing with the takahē at 11 :) Come back soon!
Written 23 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
SuzyOphelia
Rarotonga, Cook Islands215 contributions
Fabulous bird life & great walking tracks amongst the native bush
May 2020
We had a fabulous time walking around all the different tracks through the native bush. The seats are well positioned so you can stop & listen/watch the native birds singing & feeding 😀
It was amazing to meet the new Takahes Bennett & Waimaire.
Written 30 May 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Orokonui
Thank you for visiting and for your review, we're glad you got to meet the two new takahē!!
Written 23 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
fusiongirl2
58 contributions
Go early!
Feb 2020
Awesome place but we recommend to go early so you can circle back to the tuatara in case it isn't out and vice versa for the takahe as later visitors scared it back into the brush. Ample bird feeders ensure the patient will see a wide range of birds.
Written 24 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Orokonui
Thank you for visiting and for your review, we agree that visitors should come early! The birds are fed between 9am and 11am which is a great time to see them all. Come back soon!
Written 23 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Rachael W
Sydney, Australia22 contributions
A hidden sanctuary
Mar 2020 • Family
If you're looking for something different to do in Dunedin this is the place.

Lovely staff and very welcoming.

The map made this place seem larger than it is but still quite impressive. We were able to see the takahe bird and a range of different birds throughout the sanctuary. The paths were accomdating to a pram buggy.I would I highly reccomend this place if this have toddlers or young children to see the beautiful birds and appreciate nature.
Written 11 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Orokonui
Thank you for visiting and for your kind review :) We're glad to hear that you were able to easily enjoy the sanctuary with young children, providing an opportunity for all people to immerse themselves in nature is important to us. Come back again soon!
Written 13 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Greg T
Manawatu-Wanganui Region, New Zealand16 contributions
Excellent bird watching
Feb 2020
I had a great day out in the sun, considering the amount of rain the day before. I started with a late breakfast at the café which was lovely. Then I spent the next 5 hours watching the bird feeders to see the great variety of birds in the park and I walked most of the tracks. The only bird I’m disappointed I did not see was the Takahē.
Written 16 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Orokonui
Thanks for your visit and your review Greg! We're so glad you enjoyed your day, and especially glad you took the time to take it all in! A bummer the Takahē were elusive this time!! They're fickle creatures!
Written 19 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Bernice
17 contributions
A wonderful and quiet wildlife experience
Jan 2020
A beautiful sanctuary with some very unique and rare wildlife! During my visit I saw slightly less species than I did in Zealandia Ecosanctuary (Wellington), but Orokonui Ecosanctuary is not quite as flooded with tourists as Zealandia and therefore really gives you the 'Wild New Zealand' feeling as there are not as much people around. There are some lovely walks in the sanctuary (both short and long) and I saw some unique birds such as the takahe, fernbird and South Island robin. One of the highlights for me was a visit to one of the feeders in the sactuary, which was absolutely swarmed by tuis and bellbirds! It was really cool to observe the interactions between these birds from close by. Their song could also be heard beautifully as they interacted. All in all, I would definitely recommend a visit to Orokonui Ecosanctuary if you are in the area!
Written 11 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Orokonui
Thank you for visiting and for your kind review :) We're glad you enjoyed your time here, and stoked that you saw the elusive fernbird!! Always a treat. Do return again soon.
Written 12 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
maserk
Colorado Springs, CO1,263 contributions
Incredibly worthwhile nature experience
Feb 2020
It's incredible what this ecosanctuary has been able to accomplish by fencing out and eradicating pests that had been introduced by European settlers, which has allowed bird species to flourish again. The area is so lush and green, and there is so much good information about the various plants and different birds. We greatly enjoyed our visit even though it was cold and rainy while we were there. Seeing the kakas near their feeder and the bellbirds and tuis in another area ... simply amazing!
Written 9 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Orokonui
Thank you for visiting and for your kind review! We are stoked you enjoyed yourself :) The birds seem to love the bad weather here!
Written 10 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
lison_trd16
Passy, France19 contributions
Birds and forest😍😍😍
Feb 2020 • Solo
It was a amazing walk in the nature 😍 I recommend highly the long track to see the tallest NZ tree 😍
Written 9 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Orokonui
Great that you visited New Zealand's tallest tree!!!! People don't often do this walk as it takes a couple of hours but we highly recommend it as you're fully immersed in nature! Thank you for visiting, do come again soon :)
Written 10 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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