Southern Heritage Trust

09/10/2026

Thank you to all who supported this evening. What a brilliant range of speakers. All with their own point of interest and knowledge. So many people were thanked tonight however to you, the public, we cannot run these events without you. Thank you. Also a special thank you to the Otago Art Society for allowing us to use their stunning galleries within the historic, heritage listed Dunedin Railway Station.
Kā mihi, Joy Baker Chair, Southern Heritage Trust.

08/10/2026

Yesterday some of us were lucky enough to get on the limited tour of David Booth’s amazing renovation happening at 470 Moray Place. Most people will know it as the fully scaffolded building opposite Burlington St and First Church. We only ventured into the first 2 floors and the basement. The absent and street level will be offices. Above that will be apartments and right on top with extensive views in all directions, a penthouse. This building has had support through the Dunedin Heritage Fund. David is so knowledgeable about the building structure and materials that needed to be used. He was also very impressed with the suggestions and guidance from other dealers in Dunedin. Well done to everyone in what looks as if it’s going to be a fantastic building, living on as a modern building staying true to heritage where possible. Here are a range of photos of the building so far.

07/10/2026

4 seats left on the Murder & Woe van tour for the Southern Heritage Festival. 10th Oct 5.30pm

Get picked up at the iSite then drive through the Northern Cemetery, back through town then up through the Devil's Half Acre.

Hear the stories of triple murder, first man hanged in South Island, murder by dynamite and more.
$50 +bf

Book at www.darkestdunedin.co.nz

06/10/2026

Heritage Bytes

Only a few tickets left.

Friday 9 October | 5.30pm for a 6pm start
Join us at the magnificent Dunedin Railway Station for an evening of quick-fire talks and fascinating stories about our city’s heritage. Come along, hear from a great line-up of local storytellers, and celebrate the people, places and stories that make Dunedin unique. Light refreshments supplied. Check out the Ryman Healthcare Spring Exhibition as well. You won’t be disappointed.

Speakers and topics.

● ‘William Mathew Hodgkins and the 150 year development of the Otago Art Society’, Doug Hart
● The Machine That Ate Time, David Green
● The Waitaki Geopark, Brian Miller
● McMeekings Farmstead, Dr Matt Schmidt
● A New Era of Women Onboard, Rachel McGregor
● A Few Things Found while Exploring, Gregor Campbell
● Did You Know: Quirky unknown findings from the world of Built Heritage, Alison Breese
● A Quick Tour of the 1881 Dunedin Industrial Exhibition, Jonathan Howard
● Albion Place: History of a City Lane, David Murray

Tickets: $30
Book:

Details of event.

05/10/2026

William James O'Leary "Arawata Bill" born 28 Oct 1865, Tuapeka. He was a bushman and gold prospector who spent many years looking for gold in the Arawata River, without striking it rich.
In 1953 NZ poet Denis Glover wrote Arawata Bill immortalising him as a solitary New Zealand prospector.
Two passes in the Mt Aspiring National Park and west of Lake McKerrow bear the O'Leary name. O'Leary's Paddock in Queenstown also named after him.

In the latest edition of Heritage Matters, brought to you by Southern Heritage Trust, we hear about a this famous bushman, Bill Southworth tells us about a con man on the goldfields, we discover the remnant of an important part of the war effort at the Taieri Airfield, and Gregor has a story of a cat loving soldier.

Listen Here: https://oar.org.nz/shows/heritage-matters/

Heritage Matters airs on 105.4FM & 1575AM on the first week of the month
Monday at 9.30am
Sunday at 7pm

Replay third week of the month
Thursday at 1pm
Sunday at 7pm

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

CAMA - Community Access Media Alliance / NZ On Air

01/10/2026

Dunedin Railway Station

The Dunedin Railway Station, built between 1903 and 1907, is an outstanding example of Edwardian architecture and one of Dunedin’s most recognisable landmarks. Constructed during a period of significant growth in New Zealand’s rail network, it became the busiest railway station in the country following its completion.

The station was designed by architect George Troup, affectionately nicknamed ‘Gingerbread George’, in the Edwardian Baroque style. Although originally proposed in red brick, the building was ultimately constructed using Kokonga basalt, Port Chalmers basalt and Oamaru stone. The Anzac Avenue façade features imported Scottish granite, while the roof is clad in distinctive Marseilles tiles.

The interior is every bit as remarkable as the exterior. Its impressive features include stained-glass windows depicting locomotives, ornate Doulton friezes decorated with foliage and cherubs, and beautifully tiled walls. The booking hall features an extraordinary mosaic floor made up of almost 750,000 Minton tiles. In the 1960s, after the lobby had sunk, the floor was relaid as an exact replica of the original.

Heritage Bytes

Friday 9 October | 5.30pm for a 6pm start
Join us at the magnificent Dunedin Railway Station for an evening of quick-fire talks and fascinating stories about our city’s heritage. Come along, hear from a great line-up of local storytellers, and celebrate the people, places and stories that make Dunedin unique.

● ‘William Mathew Hodgkins and the 150 year development of the Otago Art Society’, Doug Hart
● The Machine That Ate Time, David Green
● The Waitaki Geopark, Brian Miller
● McMeekings Farmstead, Dr Matt Schmidt
● A New Era of Women Onboard, Rachel McGregor
● A Few Things Found while Exploring, Gregor Campbell
● Did You Know: Quirky unknown findings from the world of Built Heritage, Alison Breese
● A Quick Tour of the 1881 Dunedin Industrial Exhibition, Jonathan Howard
● Albion Place: History of a City Lane, David Murray
● Surprise, Ted Daniels
● The Foundations Festival, Nina Rivett

Tickets: $30
Book: https://www.southernheritage.org.nz/event-details/heritage-bytes-2026

References:
Findlay, M. (2018, January). Dunedin Railway Station: its architect and style. Built in Dunedin.
Dunedin Railway Station, Platform & Gates. (n.d.). https://www.heritage.org.nz/list-details/59/Listing
Wikipedia contributors 2026, Dunedin railway station, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunedin_railway_station

Our thanks to Prue Milbank for this post.

29/09/2026

Have you ever passed through a cemetery and wanted to glimpse into the stories behind the headstones? Local historian and experienced tour guide, Gregor Campbell has done just that and now his impressive catalogue of tales are available through guided tours

23/09/2026

23/09/2026

Our friends at Tales From Darkest Dunedin have just been named in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2027!

It’s like winning an Oscar - but for travel. And we’re delighted to have them as part of our Dunedin Heritage Weekend, which runs from 9 - 11 October.

On Saturday 10 October, join Tales From Darkest Dunedin for their Murder & Woe tours, at a special Heritage Weekend prices:

• Walking tours: 11am or 5.30pm - only $26.30 per person
• Van tour: 5.30pm - only $52.61 per person

Hear the stories behind the photographs - murder, su***de, arguments over chickens and other tales from around 130 years ago.

Book here: https://darkestdunedin.co.nz/tours/southern-heritage-festival-2026

23/09/2026

The Standard Building

Completed in April 1875, the Standard Building was designed by Mason & Wales for the Standard Fire and Marine Insurance Company. Designed in the Italian style, the building comprised three storeys and a basement. The ground-floor windows and doors formed an arcade supported by columns with moulded bases and capitals. Each floor contained offices and a fireproof strong room. The Standard Fire and Marine Insurance Company occupied only the ground floor, while the upper floors were leased to Messrs Sievwright and Stout, solicitors.

The Standard Insurance Company remained in the building until 1884, when it moved to new premises in Lower High Street. In 1900, Samuel Gardham opened Café Cecil in the building, adding a fishmonger’s shop in 1904. In 1906, an extension was constructed at the rear to provide a warehouse and sample rooms for E Stokes and Sons Limited, tailors.

Around 1925, fishmonger William Stewart, who had previously operated across the street, took over the fishmongery. Stewart’s Ltd, later known as Stewart’s Fish Supply, traded from the Standard Building until 1995. In 1961, Café Cecil became Canton Cafe, a Chinese restaurant that operated on the first floor until 1994, when it relocated to the opposite side of Princes Street.

The building subsequently lay vacant for many years before being purchased by Exchange Renaissance Limited (Ted Daniels and Wayne Marsh), which set out to restore the building to its former appearance with support from the Dunedin Heritage Fund. The facade, which had been stripped of much of its ornamentation in the 1950s, was reconstructed using historic photographs as a guide. This work returned the building largely to its original external appearance, while retaining the later shopfront.

We are running a tour of the Standard Building on Saturday 10 October at 11am.
Book tickets here: https://www.southernheritage.org.nz/event-details/standard-building-tour

Event link: https://www.facebook.com/share/19LyNTjmuf/

A huge thanks to Prue Milbank for providing this article and images.

References:
Otago Daily Times, Issue 4102, 12 April 1875, Page 7
Evening Star, Issue 14701, 19 October 1911, Page 5
Murray, D. (2013). Standard Building, Scheduled Heritage Place Record Form. Dunedin City Council.
Kerr, E. (2011). Former Standard Insurance building 201 Princes St, Dunedin. What if? Dunedin….