The Remarkable Story of
Taonga Pounamu
THE GREATEST TREE IN NEW ZEALAND The kauri tree, Agathis australis, is New Zealand’s largest and most famous native tree. Located midway between Auckland and the Bay of Islands in the warm north of the country, The Kauri Museum tells some of the stories of this amazing tree.
F
ar more than a museum of timber, the Museum has stories of the Māori 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. Visitors rave about the museum’s collections, along with the friendly staff, gift shop and onsite café. Exquisite Kauri Gum
5,000 pieces of golden, honey-coloured, kauri gum glow in the jewel in the Museum’s crown: the best and biggest collection of gum in the world. Currently being redisplayed in a much larger area than previously, the gum shines with the light of the thousands of years it has taken to form. The gum is created when resin (sap) from the trees leaks out through cracks in the bark. Lumps can form over many hundreds of years of a kauri tree’s life, and once hardened and eventually fossilizing, become the gum we see today. The pieces on display come from a number of collections gathered by local residents. They have been cleaned and polished, and in some cases carved and turned into a range of sculptures and jewellery. While at the Museum you may
um polishing be able to see gum in action (phone first or o see if check on arrival to the polisher is in) and even polish your own piece to hed gum take home. Finished eces and jewellery pieces are also available he to purchase at the Museum Shop. lso The Museum also e cares for a diverse ori collection of Māori s) taonga (treasures) from the Kaipara and Northland. Pounamu, bone er, and stone, feather, he pieces have been fibre and wood – the gifted into the Museum’s care to preserve and share with visitors. Discover kākahu (traditional Māori woven cloaks), kete (woven baskets), tauihu (waka prow), hei tiki and much more. A fascinating recreation of a quality 1880-1920 six room home is at the entrance to the Museum. Fully furnished with original decor and lifelike models dressed in period costume, the house is wall to wall with authentic furniture, fittings and ornaments, and is typical of how kauri timber was used for building homes and for making beautiful furniture. Elsewhere around the Museum is one of the most extensive collections of kauri and antique furniture in New Zealand. From elaborately carved dining furniture and display pieces, through to the simplest home made items, nearly all of the collection is on display. Fans of big machinery don’t miss out either. The Museum includes a full sized
sawmill, which moves at slow speed so visitors can get up close to see how the mill works. At its centre is a Davey Paxman Portable Steam Engine, built in England in the early 1900s, and one of the last ever made. The engine drives a range of saws for ‘breaking down’ giant kauri logs and converting them into planks. Explore www.kaurimuseum.com for a taste of The Kauri Museum, and then make sure to visit. It's remarkable! The Kauri Museum is at Matakohe, just a 50 minute drive from Whangarei. Open 9am-5pm every day, children under 12 are free during the holidays.
MORE THAN A MUSEUM OF TIMBER 5 Church Road, Matakohe, New Zealand
www.kaurimuseum.com
