New $800k walk-in aviary in the works

Visitors will soon be able to get up close and personal with the birds at the Pukaha Mount Bruce Wildlife Centre.

Pukaha chairman Bob Francis says a large walk-in aviary is in the works.

"It will be a significant attraction, bringing in more people," he said.

He said the aviary would be a modern-looking structure and cover an area of 30 metres by 20 metres.

It will be designed by Fabric Structures Systems, who created The Cloud, on Queen's Wharf, Auckland.

The company also designed Auckland Zoo's walk-in kea aviary.

Mr Francis says it hasn't been decided what birds will be in the aviary but they will have to be compatible.

"It's very much at the planning stages."

It will "definitely not be a zoo" but will help visitors get more of a chance to spot the birds.

"It allows the possibility to see the birds and have good visuals."

The centre has been upgrading the property over the last few years and this will be one of the last stages of the upgrade.

Mr Francis says it will cost $800,000 to build and the centre will launch a campaign to raise funds next year. The project will take about two years to complete.