Waikawa Museum

29/09/2026

Last Friday, another working bee. Inside displays are being refreshed and the outside special project continues. The shed has been extended and farm equipment shifted.

Watch this space for further developments and how this new space is going to be used...

14/08/2026

The Museum may be closed over the winter months, but that doesn't mean nothing is happening. Regular working bees occur all through Winter. A volunteer working bee today saw displays enhanced, conservation work done, unwanted scrap metal disposed of (for income), painting and earthmoving done.

A special project is also being worked on that will extend our displays...watch this space.

11/06/2026

The Waikawa Museum is closed now over the winter period.
Recorded visitor numbers to the year end of April were 1704 adults and 157 children - down on the previous year but still a healthly total. Hopefully the Waikawa Church will be fixed and back on it's piles when the museum opens again around Labour weekend.

31/05/2026

Thank you to all the generous donors. $4,735 has now been raised. From this and other generous donations we are making great progress to getting the church back on it's piles.

https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/help-preserve-st-marys-church-waikawa

or you can make a deposit directly into the Waikawa Museum bank account: Please put your name and "Church repairs" as a reference

Account Name: Waikawa District Museum Incorporated
Account Number: 03-1750-0081764-000

THANK YOU.

Funds are needed to repile St Mary's Church in The Catlins.

05/05/2026

sent on 4 May: CJCJ McKenzie

to CEO [email protected]

Re October 2025 windstorm in Southland:
Adam, I feel that your declining of an insurance claim about Waikawa ex-church is a moral failure on your part:
- the local headline, in Southland Times, indicates that you (FMG) excused yourselves by saying that work had been done that was non-compliant.
Yet, you accepted their premium payments for year after year.

This is a classic case of rural people looking after their local treasures,, as volunteers...

FMG itself used to be a local treasure. I myself would look nowhere else over all the years I was farming in partnership with my family. (since 1977).

I would be delighted to hear that you have reconsidered the case - it would re-affirm FMG's commitment to our volunteer community, which keeps NZ functioning.

Yours truly,
Christine McKenzie

04/05/2026

https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/360991904/building-owners-blown-over-after-insurance-declined-96-year-old-church-damaged-storm

When is a natural disaster not a natural disaster? When it’s deemed “faulty workmanship and design” and not 180kph gale-force winds that lifted the Waikawa Church half a metre off its foundations.

04/05/2026

Thank you once again for all the donations made to help preserve St Mary's Church. Here is the link to the give a little page referred to in the Southland Times article.

https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/help-preserve-st-marys-church-waikawa

https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/360991904/building-owners-blown-over-after-insurance-declined-96-year-old-church-damaged-storm

Funds are needed to repile St Mary's Church in The Catlins.

19/04/2026

Thank you for all the donations to help preserve St Mary's Church in Waikawa.
Approx $4000 has now been raised through the Give a Little Page.
https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/help-preserve-st-marys-church-waikawa. Approx $35000 is needed.
Donations can also be made directly to the Museum Bank Account.
Waikawa District Museum Incorporated 03 1750 0081764 00
Please put your name and St Mary’s Church as a reference.
Or you can pop into the museum when open and make a donation there. The Museum is open Friday-Monday from 10 till 5.
For more info email [email protected] or contact Gay Lamb 0276408891

Funds are needed to repile St Mary's Church in The Catlins.