Wow, 50?! You've come a long way Aratoi!
In 2019, Aratoi Wairarapa Museum of Art and History, in Masterton, celebrates its first 50 years of existence with an exhibition representing 50 years of collecting: fifty/fifty - 50 years of Aratoi.
With more than 3000 items to choose from it has been no easy task, but the selection reflects the highlights and significant events, as well as the many gifts received, that have helped form the Aratoi collection.
From the obvious, such as work by Colin McCahon, Robin White and Barbara Hepworth, to the less obvious: an 1869 ship’s biscuit with a tale to tell of the visit of a prince; from Taonga Māori to botanical sketches and contemporary art to photographs of early settlement, there will be some surprises as items never shown before emerge into the light. The 50th celebrations include public events, an education programme, and a publication.
fifty/fifty - 50 years of Aratoi Opening: 16 August, 5.30pm.
Publication launch: 11 October, 5.30pm.
The exhibition continues until 10 November.
Aratoi is open daily, 10-4, Koha is welcome.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
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