Home - Whanganui Heritage Trust

Whanganui Regional
Heritage Trust

Conserving Yesterday for Tomorrow

Welcome to the
Whanganui Regional
Heritage Trust

We are an independent Charitable Trust dedicated to the preservation and protection of historic places, and to the telling of our stories in Whanganui, Rangitikei and Waimarino.
We are associate members of the national body of independent heritage societies - Historic Places Aotearoa. We also hold membership of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga but act independently.
We advocate for all heritage across the region.

We welcome the public and organisations to join our Membership to help support our aims. Donations and bequests are administered wisely and provide real impetus to protect our heritage for future generations.

Whanganui Heritage Month 2019

2 August - 15 September 2019

Please join us for the inaugural Whanganui Heritage Month to highlight and celebrate our built heritage. Over 40 events are organised throughout the region.

Click here for details

Our Objectives

Our basic objectives are to:

• promote the identification, protection and conservation of our local heritage;

• inform, advise and educate people, including decision-makers, of the importance of our heritage and historic places, and

• involve the local community in learning about and caring for places of heritage significance and our local history.

Our Activities

We are actively involved locally in:

projects that will commemorate the centenary of World War I.
the annual Whanganui Summer Programme of bus trips, guided walks and talks.
Town Centre Regeneration Committee hosted by Whanganui District Council.
Earthquake Prone Buildings Community Taskforce hosted by Whanganui District Council.
Advocating for heritage buildings retention.
We actively manage the preservation of several sites, incluidng Cameron Blockhouse and Kawana Flour Mill.
We are managing the design and build of the new entranceway for the Durie Hill Elevator, to celebrate the Centenary in 2019. Design and fundraising is currently underway and building is hoped to commence in 2020.
We are organising the biannual Whanganui Heritage Awards, launching in 2020 and also support the establishment of Naitonal Heritage Awards
We coordinate Whanganui Heritage Month in August and September each year, which celebrate our European and Maori heritage and architecture
We support signage to identify heritage buildings and sites. We are managing the "Blue Plaques" project on commercial heritage buildings rolling out in 2020.