Photo of Heartland Cottage in Manawatu-Wanganui
Zoos & Wildlife

Heartland Cottage

πŸ“ Foxton Beach, Manawatu-Wanganui

β˜…5.0(44 Google reviews)πŸ’°$15πŸ‘ΆAll ages

A non-profit animal rescue and sanctuary at Foxton Beach. All visits are guided tours, booked in advance. Animals include Valais Blacknose sheep, a Scottish Highland cow, Kune Kune pigs, and Silky chickens. Particularly welcoming to neurodiverse families.

βœ“ Personal guided toursβœ“ Welcoming for neurodiverse kidsβœ“ Rescued animal residentsβœ“ Pram-accessibleβœ“ Hidden gem

πŸ† Family Action Verdict

Reviewers describe a deliberately personal, hands-on visit - the team (Marika, Manawa, Amber are named) takes time over each animal's story. Several specifically call out how welcoming the sanctuary is for neurodiverse children. Best as a planned day trip from Wellington rather than a drop-in.

ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go

πŸ’‘All visits are guided tours by appointment - book in advance and pay ahead
⏰Wear gumboots or old shoes; the farm gets muddy
🎟️You can bring fresh fruit and vegetables for animal feeding
πŸš—Pram-accessible throughout

πŸ’¬ What Families Are Saying

View all reviews β†’
5.0
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44 Google reviews

5β˜…
43
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1
3β˜…
0
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G Reviews from Google

D

disna kumari

5 months ago

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β€œThis place was such a lovely experience! The animals looked happy, healthy, and well cared for. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and you can truly see the love and care they give to every animal. Those adorable animals are incredibly intelligent they respond and react based on our actions, which made the experience even more special. Feeding the horses and walking with them was absolutely amazing! We honestly don’t have enough space here to write down all the wonderful experiences we had at this lovely place. Highly recommended everyone should visit this place at least once in their lifetime!”

M

Maria Bambus

9 months ago

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β€œWe had the absolute best time here! A huge thank you to Marika for showing us around and making the experience so special. She was incredibly welcoming and knowledgeable, and it was clear how much care and love goes into looking after the animals. Getting to know them up close and having the chance to pet them was simply wonderful and something we won’t forget. The whole visit felt relaxed, personal, and truly enjoyable. We’re so glad we came and would absolutely recommend this experience to anyone looking for something unique and heartwarming! πŸ˜Šβ€

L

Lara Miller

9 months ago

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β€œHeartland Cottage is a hidden gem at Foxton Beach. It’s a beautiful, safe place for neurodiverse people to learn and feel at home, while also doing amazing work caring for and rehabilitating animals. Visiting feels genuinely meaningful, not just like a regular outing. An incredible place that’s absolutely worth your time and I will 100 percent be returning. Also pram friendly.”

πŸ“Š Commonly mentioned in Google reviews

Based on Google review tags

Welcoming staff

6 reviews

Knowledgeable host

3 reviews

Animal encounters

3 reviews

Friendly animals

3 reviews

Blacknose sheep

2 reviews

Overview

Heartland Cottage is a non-profit rescue and rehabilitation sanctuary at Foxton Beach (about an hour from Wellington). All visits are guided tours by appointment, with hands-on animal interaction and stories about each rescued resident. The animals include Valais Blacknose sheep, a Scottish Highland cow, Kune Kune pigs, and Silky chickens. The sanctuary is built around supporting the neurodiverse community and is pram-accessible.

πŸ• Opening Hours

Monday10:00-17:00
Tuesday10:00-17:00
Wednesday10:00-17:00
Thursday10:00-17:00
Friday10:00-17:00
Saturday10:00-17:00
Sunday10:00-17:00

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