Brookfield Outdoor Education Centre in Wainuiomata offers camping, lodges, and outdoor activities.
Brookfield Outdoor Education Centre is located at 562 Moores Valley Road in Wainuiomata and is owned by Scouts New Zealand. It’s used all year round by Scouts, Guides, schools, church groups, and other organisations. The centre offers campsites, lodges, and activity areas, providing a safe place for outdoor learning, training, and recreation.
The land was originally part of a 144-hectare farm bought by John Crowther in 1864. He named it Brookfield after a stream that ran through the valley. The first known Scout camp there was held by St Augustine’s Scouts, who walked over the Wainuiomata Hill pulling their gear on a trek cart.
John Crowther’s daughter, Mary Ursula Crowther, later ran the farm and earned extra income from an orchard. In the 1920s, Mary became friends with two brothers, Harold and Roy Nelson, who were hunting in the area. They introduced her to the Scout movement, which led her to leave the land to the Scout Association when she passed away in 1958.
Since then, the Scouts have expanded the property to more than 260 hectares. They kept some features from the original farm, including the gardens and some old orchard trees. A Campfire Circle now sits where the original cottage once stood. The Nelson brothers stayed involved with Brookfield, and in 1989, the cottage they had lived in was moved to the site and renamed Nelson Lounge. It now holds furniture and memorabilia.
Today, Brookfield continues to support outdoor education and hosts a variety of groups. It remains a place where history and community come together in a natural bush setting.
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