KAURI MUSEUM – MATAKOHE
Listen, hear and explore the story of cultural & environmental gencoide of the forest giant, the Kauri at the Matakoke Kauri Museum.
Far more than a museum of timber, the Museum has stories of the Maori of the north eastern Kaipara, of European pioneers, of foresters and sawmillers, gum diggers and farmers, and of business people, fishers and the families who have made this area their home. Kauri forest trees were an economic driver for Northland in the mid 19th-20th centuries. The forests of the North were decimated and largely destroyed
MATAKOHE KAURI MUSEUM LOCATION
Kauri Museum is located in Matakohe.
For things to do nearby check out Dargaville: things to do in a trip guide
Walk through an entranceway defining your surroundings with soft lighting, birdsong and towering ‘fitch’ (square cut tree trunks) shaped trees echoing shadows of the living forest. The viewer’s imagination is gripped by what happened in the past and the potential in the future for the Northland forests. The entrance way surrounds is woven around traditional Maori creation Maori beliefs.
The sheer height, weight and size of the vanished forest is aptly illustrated by the enormous slice of a kauri asriding the kauri hall. It’s stupendous statement of loss. The kauri hallway has moments of humour with a dressup room for kids and the young at heart.
How far away from Whangarei is the Matakohe Kauri Museum?
The Matakohe Kauri Museum is approximately 1 hour (one way) from Whangarei or 62 km.
The Kauri Museum is largely wheelchair accessible with ramps and flat firm surfaces to walk on.
The adjoining halls document the process of harvesting the timber, the effort required to haul the massive logs to sawmills. Numerous photographs, humming equipment and staged scene recreate the world of the kauri forester.
Want to stay awhile on the Kauri Coast, Northland?
The period from the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth century is told with rooms decorated with the objects of the age. The barbers shop, the dining room, a public room where men met to discuss business and the occupation of women in the hearth and home. The gender roles are clearly defined in a way no longer applicable to modern society.
How much time is required to visit the Kauri Museum?
Allow between 2-3 hours to visit the Kauri Museum, Matakohe. There are several galleries from the main hallway, gum diggers life, early life in Matakohe and the kauri coast, sawmill equipment and the multiple uses for kauri timber.
Kauri timber was valued for its dense strong straight tree truck. The British Royal Navy found the perfect tree for naval ship spars. The gum resin was an excellent varnish and an ingredient in medicines, part of jewellery and furniture.
The Kauri Museum is a short detour off State Highway 12 and part of the Twin Coast Discovery Highway road trip.
Admission fees apply to enter the Kauri Museum and donations happily accepted for a museum largely supported by volunteers. The Kauri Museum is an excellent place to visit in winter as it’s open year round.
Make sure to pop across the road to view the beautiful small kauri timbered church. It’s exquisite with gold hues of kauri gleaming in the church interior. In spring and summer walk around the church to absorb the scent and colour of vintage roses.
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