The National Wildlife Centre

In the 1870s the Crown purchased the greater part of the Seventy Mile Bush and the bush was subsequently surveyed, sold and cleared. The Mount Bruce block (942 hectares) was retained as Forest Reserve; bounded by Maori land across the north eastern boundaries, and otherwise by farms in private ownership. For the next hundred years the NZ Forest Service was the primary agency responsible for the Mount Bruce forest although the Wildlife Service was responsible for the birds within the 55 hectares separately gazetted as a Native Bird Reserve.

In 1948, Mr Orbell re-discovered takahe, thought to be extinct at the time, in the Murchison Mountains. In 1955, Mr Welch set up aviaries on his farm at Mount Bruce to breed takahe and in 1958, four takahe chicks were brought to Mount Bruce for rearing. The takahe and by then, other birds, were moved to the present site in 1962 and the Wildlife Service took on this avicultural role.
In 1962 the Centre was established as the Mount Bruce Native Bird Reserve for the purpose of the protection and management of native birds, with emphasis on breeding and research.

The reserve's potential for public education was developed in 1980 when opening hours were established and visitors encouraged. The Centre expanded, adding more aviaries and walkways. In 1984, a locally based charitable trust called the National Wildlife Centre Trust was formally established as a means of raising finance which would otherwise not have been available to a government department. The Mount Bruce Native Bird Reserve became the National Wildlife Centre.

Within a relatively short time, the visitor centre and kiwi nocturnal house were built, a shop, a café and an audio visual room were established. A bush walk and aviaries for the display and breeding of native birds were also put in place. The Trust became responsible for administering the facilities for education and for the benefit of the New Zealand people as a whole.