August 29

MEDIA RELEASE

Roof shout with a difference at Te Waimate Mission

The NZ Historic Places Trust will host a roof shout with a difference in mid-September.

Te Waimate Mission – the NZ Historic Places Trust property in Waimate North – is organising two open days on September 14 and 15 to celebrate the completion of its new shingle roof – including on-site tours and presentations looking at the work that has taken place.

“Our roof shout is going to be a little different in that it will be all about the roof – and not about beer!” says the Manager of Te Waimate Mission Mita Harris.

“We’re looking forward to showing off Te Waimate’s new roof, which looks fantastic – and inviting people who have been closely involved with the work to talk a bit about what was involved and how the project has gone.”

If the weather is good, guided tours will also take visitors to areas surrounding Te Waimate Mission – including the King Paddock and Bedggood site, both of which are rich in archaeological features.

The site of the Bedggood Cottage, down the road from Te Waimate Mission, will also re-open to the public on September 14 after the cottage was dismantled for safety reasons in June.

Information about the history of the cottage and the wider area will be available over the two days, with buildings archaeologist Wesley McGuire on hand to reveal some of the discoveries made during the deconstruction of the building.

Members of the Bedggood family will also be sharing some of the family history associated with the place.

The re-shingling of Te Waimate Mission has been a major undertaking, and involved the installation of a giant weatherproof canopy over the entire mission house to protect the 181-year-old building from the elements while the old roofing iron was stripped off and the replacement shingles installed. The work was carried out by Henwood Builders of Kaikohe and was kindly funded in part by Pub Charity.

“The shingles are red cedar – a cost effective material for roof shingles which fade back to a similar colour to kauri shingles, the material that would originally have been used on the roof,” says Mita.

“The new shingles are expected to give up to 20 years of life with good maintenance.”

Valuable collection items were stored off site for safe-keeping during the re-roofing and maintenance work, and will be returned to Te Waimate where they will be put on display again in time for the re-opening, as well as new interpretative panels inside the house which will help bring the past to life.

“The open days will mark the completion of two significant projects at Waimate North – and it’s good to be able to share information about them, and to say thanks to people for putting up with the inconvenience while work has been going on,” says Mita.

“We’d like to take the opportunity to invite people to come out to the open days, when entry will be reduced to a gold coin donation, so people can see for themselves – and tell their friends and family – how great Te Waimate is looking with its new roof.”

Te Waimate Roof Shout open days programme:
Saturday September 14: 10am: presentations by the NZ Historic Places Trust, Henwood Builders and the Bedggood family; 11am: BBQ begins; 11.30am -2pm: tours of Te Waimate Mission and the Bedggood site.
Sunday September 15: 10am: Presentation on site by NZHPT staff followed by tour of Te Waimate Mission. Morning Tea available.

For times of tours and more information visit www.historicplaces.org. nz

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