6 Church Road, Matakohe, Kaipara

Matakohe Kauri Museum

Kaipara Museums

One of the country’s finest regional museums, the Matakohe Museum tells the story of the kauri timber and gum industries, once so important in the Northland economy.

The Kauri Museum is located on the route to the giant kauri trees in the Waipoua forest but travellers can be assured that it constitutes a destination in its own right. The museum is a “surprise package” in an otherwise conventional Northland countryside, a complex of buildings filled with outstanding displays that show the lives and tell the stories of pioneer settlers to this region through their use of kauri timber and gum.

The kauri, Agathis australis, is New Zealand’s largest tree and grows to a huge size. It was in great demand both at home and abroad for houses, furniture and ships. The trees also bled gum that was subsequently dug from the land and exported to make varnish, linoleum and other products. The museum has lifelike displays showing the collection of these products. Kauri forest has a characteristic dense luxuriant undergrowth with understoreys of small trees, shrubs, ferns, mosses, lichens, epiphytes and lianes. Associated podocarps are rimu, miro, totara, toatoa and tanekaha. Associated hardwoods are tawa and taraire.

Ancestors of the kauri first appeared in the Jurassic Period 190-135 million years ago. The kauri forests of Northland are among the most ancient in the world. The largest kauri in existence is Tane Mahuta (“lord of the forest”) in the Waipoua forest. It is 4.4 metres in diameter and its first branch is 17.7 metres above the ground. The museum has displays showing even larger trees which were growing in the past.

Other aspects of the district’s pioneer history, and of its Maori past, are also featured in the Museum’s displays.

A shop stocks an extensive range of kauri products. Open daily except Christmas Day.

MATAKOHE KAURI MUSEUM TOUR

Nearby, the 1950 J.G. Coates Memorial Church commemorates a former Prime Minister. The firm of Massey, Beatson, Rix-Trott and Carter were the architects.

Image Credits: Koenraad Kuiper

Features

  • Bench

Location

Directions

Nearby this Place

Explore

Featured Nearby

Nearby Museums

Ruatuna

Ruatuna

4.1 km 1

View
Waipu

Waipu

28.5 km 2

View
Dargaville Maritime and Pioneer Museum

Dargaville Maritime and Pioneer Museum

34.5 km 1

View
Albertland and Districts Museum

Albertland and Districts Museum

35.6 km 1

View

Featured Nearby

You May Also Like

Kauri Bushmans Memorial Reserve
Kauri Bushmans Memorial Reserve

Matakohe, Kaipara

3.3 km 2

Haigh House
Haigh House

Ruarangi-Paparoa, Kaipara

3.9 km 1

Pahi
Pahi

Pahi-Paparoa, Kaipara

4.7 km 1

Matarua Golf Club
Matarua Golf Club

Ararua, Other

5.2 km 1