Central & Western Archive - Murihiku Southland

Central & Western Archive - Murihiku Southland History records of heritage, people, places, creativity & nature, across Central & Western Districts. Digitising & Office Services by koha/gift.

Research Resources, Historical Displays, Computers, Wi-Fi, all FREE to use. Contact us to visit out of hours.

13/09/2026





Does your whānau have whenua in our motu? Come and see us at CWArchives 1-4pm Tues to Fri until end of September. From Oct we open 10-4 same days, with Saturdays on-call only for now.

We have maps and names of those the SILNA whenua was granted to by the Crown at our Heritage Hub repository and we can help you with district history.

We run Whakapapa Research or Family History Days on the 3rd Thursday each month from 1-4 except Dec/Jan, gold coin cost. Bring your own computer or use ours, unlimited Wi-Fi, access to subscription Genealogy sites.

Find us at 48 Main Rd Tūātapere next to the Railway Station where you can park. Contact us on:
[email protected]
Or you can message this account

10/09/2026


!
From gold mining to branch railway to farming.
It's time... To bring in all of your Orepuki history bits & bobs. We can include them in displays, or we can photograph or scan and return to you. Let's make this 'Ore in Orepuki' display amazing and put the township on the map for the many tourists who will view the heritage display in summer. We'll also have a model Shaleworks! If you can help, let us know.

We are putting up a wall of pin boards for large maps, photos, wee stories, ephemera (small paper items) & small Orepuki art & craft items reflecting history. We are also compiling videos of the town, businesses, services, families, ore workings & more. Get creative, we want everyone involved. Thanks for the funds

We're OPEN 1-4pm on Tues-Fri until end of Sept, then 10-4pm. You can find us at: 48 Main Road Tūātapere next to Railway. You can also message us online. Or text/phone curator: 027-2114675 email: [email protected]

09/09/2026

!! to volunteer for us: can you make Video Clips for our Social Media and in-house displays? We just don't have time, but they really increase our visitor engagement and public outreach. Are there any young ones out there currently without a job who would help us in exchange for the work/mahi experience, a reference for their CV, life skills and a chance to help out with saving community history? We may even be able to throw in free lunch too if you ask nicely! 🤩

Pop in during Tues-Fri, 1-4 pm until 30 Sept and tell us why we should choose you, and show us examples of why your video making skills are special, if you want to be chosen for this. If you or your parents need to drive here and we take you on for this volunteer role, we give out fuel reimbursement if you live more than 10km away and do 4 hours. We are members of Safe Space Alliance and work or mahi with those on WINZ, ACC, with mental health disorders, physical impairment or other learning barriers, so don't be put off.

Here is one of our own lame attempts, we're sure you can do better than this, please HELP us!!
You can find us at 48 Main Road, Tūātapere, next to the Railway Station where you can park.

05/09/2026


Wishing a Happy Day for anyone celebrating their Fathers Past & Present today and to all the Dads out there: the Great Grandad's, Grandad's, Step Dads, Foster Dads and the Stand-In Dads...
Shown here are just a few of the Dad's in our collections. If you would like your Dad featured in our Community Archives, get in touch. Visit, message, or email:
[email protected]

OPEN from 1pm today - very sorry we were closed yesterday, due to ill health. We're back! Tomorrow (Friday), we're doing...
02/09/2026

OPEN from 1pm today - very sorry we were closed yesterday, due to ill health. We're back! Tomorrow (Friday), we're doing 1-6pm in case anyone needs to pop in after work to grab a local history book or historical map for Dad on We have a great range available, proceeds go to our local non-profit Heritage Preservation Institution, that is saving history.
If you need to contact us, message this page or email: [email protected]

Photo below is from Ron McDowell, showing a whitebaiting caravan at the Waiau Mouth in days past, when the road went right along the coast! We wish success to those whitebaiting.

01/09/2026





Come and see us, OPEN 1-4pm Tues to Fri (Fri late night 6pm this week), grab dad a book while waiting for your Takeaways! 🤩
Find us at 48 Main Rd, Tūātapere
Or call, text, message if needed.
(Cash or Bank Deposit by phone)

28/08/2026



Don't forget your Daffodils today to support the Cancer Society. We didn't do well at growing them this year,as you can see.

But what we do well here at CWA Community & Heritage Hub is collecting, preserving and sharing archive records, photos, maps, books, and ephemera. We also allow the public to use our FREE Wi-Fi , computers and more. We're OPEN this Daffodil Day and Tues-Fri from 1-4pm until Oct. Call in for any help with scanning, printing, email or laminating etc, transfer of digital materials and district history.

26/08/2026




You can find us at 48 Main Road Tūātapere, carparking at Railway next door, disabled parking out the front of our building. Fully wheelchair accessible. We can help you search out land maps both physical and online, or we can do it for you if you need. 🤩

Great day to be inside our comfy climate control Heritage Hub, & partaking in cuppa & cookies while looking up your family or whānau. SILNA maps available.
Note: Family History/Whakapapa Research days will continue to be held on the 3rd Thursday of each month, except Dec & Jan.

Another Historical Church closure in Tuatapere:(Shared on behalf, from The Western Star)It is with regret that the Paris...
24/08/2026

Another Historical Church closure in Tuatapere:

(Shared on behalf, from The Western Star)

It is with regret that the Parish of Western Southland has decided to close the Anglican Church of St George in Tuatapere. Sadly the congregation have moved away or passed on and it is no longer viable to keep it open.

On Wednesday, 2nd September, Bishop Anne will come to lead a deconsecration service at 11am. Anyone with family connections, or memories of St George's is warmly invited to attend.

Note: we were recently donated historical photos of this church (see the top row of photos below), so we popped a link to them to click on below, so you can reminisce more:
https://ehive.com/collections/202139/objects/2511067/tuatapere-districts-heritage-photographs-of-tuatapere-township-railway-churches-public-buildings-bu

Address

48 Main Road Tūātapere
Tuatapere
9620

Opening Hours

Tuesday 1pm - 4pm
Wednesday 1pm - 4pm
Thursday 1pm - 4pm
Friday 1pm - 4pm
Saturday 2pm - 4pm

Telephone

+64272114675

Website

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