Our New Heritage Centre

Our new heritage centre

The Waikouaiti Coast Heritage Centre has undergone major redevelopment aimed at developing the centre into a vibrant and bustling heritage precinct with retail gallery, information and research, and guided tours of our historic BNZ Bank building.

The new purpose-built heritage centre has increased exhibition space, enabling us to bring the history of the Waikouaiti & Coast area to life while creating a sense of identity and providing a great destination for the local community.

The gift shop and gallery display work created by talented craftspeople who live in the local area. This includes paintings, jewellery, steampunk-influenced clocks, handcrafted woodwork, Taramea inspired fragrances, gift cards and so much more. In addition, we sell fridge magnets (specific to the area), Waikouaiti designed tea towels, postcards, handmade soaps etc. If you are looking for a gift, then come and have a look. Whatever you purchase goes towards helping keep this facility financially sustainable. It is our intention to refresh the displays on a regular basis and to keep increasing our range of artistic craft work.

Waikouaiti Coast Heritage Centre Grand Opening

On 9 October 2021, the Waikouaiti Coast Heritage Centre held a formal opening to celebrate the completion of the new building. About 60 invited guests attended. The occasion was opened with a karakia by Matapura Ellison and Mauraka Edwards from Kati Huirapa Runaka Ki Puketeraki. This was followed by presentations by Alasdair Morrison, Chair of the Waikouaiti Coast Community Board and Andrew Noone, then Chair of the Otago Regional Council, who was a member of our project team. Two of our volunteers read a short description of aspects from early life in Waikouaiti, one from Eileen Foote's book "Roadway to the Rushes" and the second from David Mules and Matiu Prebble's book "Ko Waikouaiti Te Awa".


Shirley McKewen, Chair of the volunteer committee, outlined the work undertaken to achieve the construction of our new centre. At the end of her presentation awards of Life Membership were made to Bill and Kay Lang and the display room was named after them in recognition of their dedication and hard work over the past ten years. 



Finally, we had local identity June Rapson, and the oldest Society member to cut the replica cake. Afterwards people took the opportunity to tour the old BNZ building and the new Heritage Centre. 

  • Suzanne Ellison and Andrew Noone

     Suzanne Ellison and Andrew Noone

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  • Some of the invited guests

    Some of the invited guests

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  • The lovely morning tea catered by Beano's and funded by the Waikouaiti Coast Community Board.

    The lovely morning tea catered by Beano's and funded by the Waikouaiti Coast  Community Board.

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  • June Rapson cutting the cake

    June Rapson cutting the cake

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  • Cake made and decorated by Bev Medlin

    Cake made and decorated by Bev Medlin

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  • Life membership awards being made to Bill and Kay Lang by Shirley McKewen with Alasdair Morrison looking on.

    Life membership awards being made to Bill and Kay Lang by Shirley McKewen with Alasdair Morrison looking on.

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Construction Gallery 2006 - 2021

  • Sod turning with the Golden Spade.

    Sod turning with the Golden Spade.

    Bill Lang, Mary Brockbank, Hazel Hagan, June Rapson, Allan Hagan.

    24 August 2017.

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  • Life Members

    Life Members Mary Brockbank and Hazel Hagan turn the first sod, surrounded by family and the WCHC Committee members.

    24 August 2017


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  • Site archaeologist Phoebe cleaning away the original stable floor.

    Site archaeologist Phoebe cleaning away the original stable floor.

    In addition to the stable floor, the excvation uncovered tree stumps, an 1870s toilet and demonstrated just how much Kildare St has risen since 1869.

    September 2017

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  • Site archaeologist Phoebe cleaning an unusual early field drain

    The excavation uncovered an early unusual field drain, the style of which dates back to the romans and Greeks. Most of the bricks are believed to have come from Hurndell's brick yard in Palmerston, although odd ones may have come from a pit in Waikouaiti School grounds.

    September 2017.

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  • Laying of the concrete slab,

    Laying of the concrete slab,

    Justin & the boys from Quantum Concrete laying first truck load at 6:00am. Friday 8 December 2017.

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  • Work progress on the new Annexe

    The new 400sq m annexe now houses a reception area, displays of interest to locals and visitors, collection storage and conservation, a workshop, staff room and public research facilities.

    The floor slab of the annexe is a rib raft type with underfloor hydronic heating cast into the slab.


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  • The Building is complete and ready for fit out, October 2020.

    The building is now complete and was opened to the public on June 16th 2021. A formal opening ceremony was held on October 9th 2021. 

    The two macrocarpa posts flanking the main entrance to the new annexe were donated by the Dempster property at Flag Swamp.

    The new centre, built from weatherboard, has the appearance of a "traditional" building and fits in well with the adjacent 1869 Grade One listed bank building.

    The fence palings were made and installed by the Firewood Fundraising Team.


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