North Road - 24th April - 28 August 2010

This exhibition, on loan from Pataka Museum and Gallery, references a map of the old Porirua Road drawn in 1849 by Thomas Fitzgerald, which traces the route from Johnsonville to Paekakariki. It draws on the dairy entries of early travellers who ventured north of Wellington, and features drawings, prints and paintings. To complement North Road there will also be a smaller display of images documenting the development of the road from Paekakariki to Otaki.

Paikakariki Hill, 1877, Charles Decimus Barraud

Te Horo Book Launch

The official book launch for “Changing Faces of Te Horo”, will be held at St Margaret's Church, Te Horo on Sunday, 28 March, 2010. The publication records the exhibition “Changing Faces of Te Horo” sponsored by the Otaki Heritage Bank Preservation Trust and open to the public at the Otaki Museum, from August to October 2009. The exhibition and publication are the culmination of a two year process that began with a desire to celebrate Te Horo and its community.

Te Horo resident and Otaki Museum Trustee, Catherine Gibson, was appointed to manage the project and a team of volunteers was assembled to help with research. Over a dozen oral history interviews with Te Horo’s older residents were recorded. These oral history interviews include accounts of hardship during the Depression, the challenges of the wartime years, and the more recent subdivision of Te Horo’s old farms. Here, then, is an illustrated record of Te Horo’s past, founded on the memories of local people.

Update: The book is now available for sale from Otaki Museum, Otaki Travel Ltd, The Red House Cafe and selected agents.

News from Otaki Museum

Now that the sun's finally arrived, we've decided to extend our summer exhibition. Already more than 600 people have been through the doors, including visitors from as far afield as Boston and Nottingham. “Lovely display of local history”, “a rush of old memories” and “very meanage!” were just some of the comments made by those who visited.

One of the exhibition highlights is a display of more than 30 historic photographs, telling the story of places along the Pipi Trail, including the Telegraph Hotel, Te Wananga o Raukawa, All Saints Church, Rangiatea, Tainui Marae and St Mary's, Pukekaraka (150 years old in 2009!).

The recently launched Pipi Trail brochure makes it easier than ever to find a new way to get out there and explore beautiful and historic Otaki. Brochures can be collected free of charge from the museum desk.

The exhibition is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10am-2pm until the 5th of April, 2010.