MOTAT Society members met at McCahon House back in February when the sun was still shining, for a guided tour. Our guide Deborah gave a detailed tour of the house, its architecture, how it came to be preserved and the story of Colin McCahon. his paintings and his family while they lived there. The tour ended with the viewing of an excellent short film that summarised the tour but also connected the details of the house with archival footage and images of McCahon paintings.

Celebrating MOTAT’s 60th anniversary last year has provided a great opportunity to look back through the collections at some of the oldest items held at MOTAT. These 20 fascinating objects all date to pre-1850. For each object, a link to MOTAT’s Collections Online has been included.

Congratulations MOTAT Team - Te Puawānanga Science and Technology Centre  has won International Exhibition of the Year  at the...

A small group of Motat Society enthusiasts gathered at the gates of the Motat Workshops for a guided tour of the rail section organised by Graham Anderson. The tour was led by Marty Radford ably assisted by his team with special mention to Rick Schreuder who is a qualified mechanical engineer with the fire services with a real passion for the restorative work. 

The Waitakere Ranges Rainforest Express, well known to MOTAT Trammie old timers, is being re-established by the Waitakere Rainforest Tramline Trust under the leadership of local Councillor Ken Turner. Ken, is a mechanic with an engineering business and is both a Waitakere Ranges and heritage enthusiast, living on the harbour side at Āwhitu.

The Telecoms exhibit has recently had a small but meaningful refresh, giving the space a lift while preserving the charm and atmosphere that make it popular with visitors. 

The March excursion was an hour-long harbour cruise on the Maritime Museum’s Ted Ashby, a ketch rigged deck scow, an example of the fleet of scows that covered the Hauraki Gulf and northern New Zealand waters in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. They had flat bottoms and would sit on the sand at low tide for loading off beaches where necessar

When I completed my Museum and Heritage Practice Master’s Degree in April 2024, one of the biggest hurdles I encountered while applying for jobs was a lack of practical experience in the heritage sector. As such, the Oriel Bickerton Internship was something of a godsend and a hugely valuable prospect. I am extremely lucky to have been offered this chance to work with the team at the Walsh Memorial Library, who have all been incredibly welcoming, as have all the other MOTAT te

Makyla Curtis (Chair) presents Grant Reay with Lush Award in front of the DC3 cargo door – a result of Grant’s successful restoration...

This year the Society took a journey through early Auckland via four historic houses – places you always mean to visit, but never get...

The Print Shop team at MOTAT was thrilled to move back into its refreshed workshop on December 1st. The Museum had undertaken a...

Situated in the heart of Parnell, Auckland’s oldest suburb, Kinder House stands as a testament to New Zealand’s colonial history. Built...

A painting of Brian Cox's Corsair aircraft over Rabul on the raid An early MOTAT Society project was the joint venture with the NZ...

Over the last 20 years the Walsh Memorial Library has been developing its collection of oral histories. The library has over 400 hours of...

Use slider below to view photos gathered by Rick Schreuder during the restoration of Orenstein and Koppell 1904 0-4-0 WT well tank steam...

It was a beautiful day in April 1964 and the crowd lining the fence at Whenuapai airfield was getting restless as the time was getting...

E ono tekau tau o MOTAT Sixty years of MOTAT  focuses on key moments in MOTAT’s extraordinary history, illustrated through the Walsh...

Ewelme Cottage was built by Vicesimus Lush in 1863. He was a vicar and Ewelme was built to house his sons who went to a nearby Anglican...

Craig Hickman-Goodall (Chief Executive) and Helen Atkins (Board Chair) provide their insights and perspectives on the future of the MOTAT...

100 Mt Albert Road, Mt Albert, Auckland   Second in the series of visits to Auckland’s heritage homes the MOTAT Society visited Alberton...