Helensville Heritage Day

Sunday 8 November 2009, 10.00am-3.00pm.

About Helensville Heritage Day

Helensville (formerly Te Awaroa) Heritage Day is an annual community event hosted by the local Helensville Historic Society along with community groups such as the Helensville Business Association, Lions, Railway Trust, Ngati Whatua O Kaipara Marae, Te Awaroa Youth Club and many others.

It is not only a fund-raising exercise but aims to promote our local heritage, both Maori and European, and in particular to draw attention to the remaining heritage value buildings that make up much of the town. Heritage Day is also an opportunity for the community to showcase our lovely rural village on the edge New Zealand’s largest city with a Festival atmosphere, historical costumes and events, art, culture, food and hospitality.

Date: Sunday 8 November 2009
Time: 10.00am -3.00pm
Tickets: $15.00 per person. $10.00 for Group Bookings over 10. Please pre-arrange.
$10 Seniors. Children under 16 free when accompanied by an adult. Tickets go on sale from 13 September and will be available from the Helensville Museum or the Helensville Information Centre. To Save time Pre-purchase your tickets by contact the following.
Bookings:
     - Helensville Museum, 09 420 7881, email helensvillemuseum@xtra.co.nz
     - Helensville Information Centre, 09 420 8060, email hvlinfo@xtra.co.nz
     - Or email Keren info@helensvilleheritageday.co.nz

Your tickets will cover entry into the House Tour, entry into the Museum Grounds with its displays lectures and vintage WWII Vehicles plus a taste of Haggis. Swap pre-purchased tickets for an ID Wristband on the day to ensure entry into the Houses. Loads to do and see even without a ticket but join in the spirit of the event, get your ticket and plan to have a great day.

Street Stalls: Click here to download an application form:     Word Doc     PDF

Programme

Featured Events

(click the links to jump down the page for more detail):

• Steam Train Visit
• Historic House Tour
• Helensville Museum will be open on the day with live demonstrations, displays and lectures
• WWII Vintage Military Vehicle Display
• Kaipara River history on display at the Museum and the Kaipara Cruising Club
• 'Addressing the Haggis' - a toast to the Haggis and the town’s early Scottish settlers in conjunction with the RSA
• Kaipara College Dragon Boats on the Kaipara River
• River races and displays by local youth
• Interactive art workshop at the Art Centre
• Vintage cars
• Street stalls
• Korero with Margaret Kawharu at the Heartlands area next the Old Post Office along with food, hospitality and entertainment by local Maori
• Displays at the Railway Station
• Spot Prizes for Heritage Costumes

Please note: times listed below are subject to change

Event Details

Kaipara Cannonball Steam Train Visit:
This excursion originates at the Strand in Auckland at 9.25am and arrives at Helensville at 11.37am to be met in style by the brass band. We are encouraging townsfolk to wear heritage style costume, so if you are meeting the train it should be a great sight for our visitors. The train then departs at 2pm.

Please contact Mainline Steam on 09 810 9567 for train bookings. www.mainlinesteam.co.nz. If you have already booked the train ticket please make sure you pre-book your Heritage Day Ticket. We are offering tickets at $10 pp for train passengers. A courtesy bus will also be available for those with the Heritage Day Ticket to pick you up from the Railway Station and return you safely.

Historic House Tour
This year we will have five homes open to the public. We are grateful to the home owners for kindly opening their private homes for us. Most will be in walking distance of the town with just one, Te Makiri, worth the short drive to visit. You will need to have purchased your ticket and have your identifying wrist band before entering any of these homes. We suggest you look at the timetable of events on in the town and plan your house visits around that so you can get to see and do as much as possible.

Helensville Museum
A short opening ceremony will take place at 10am to mark the opening of the festival, then the Museum will be open for the day and will feature many working heritage activities such as wood turning, butter making etc. The three buildings that make up the museum will be open along with lectures on various parts of our history. There is a display of early Kaipara maritime history; this role is shared with the Kaipara Cruising Club on the adjacent grounds that will also have many photos on display and possibly some boats nearby on the river. The Helensville Lions will be providing food for sale and there will be coffee.

We will also have a children’s corner with dressups, dolls etc. Look out for old-fashioned games such as the coconut shy.

WWII Military Vehicles
Helenville has a number of collectors of military vehicles and we will be fortunate to have some on display this year on the Museum grounds. Former Rodney District Councilor and well known local Thomas Grace will be on hand to help with this.

Kaipara Cruising Club
The Kaipara Cruising Club will be open again this year with old boats and a display of photographs recounting its history.

Parakai Airfield Vintage Fly-In
The Parakai Airfield will be holding an Open Day as part of Helensville Heritage Day on site at Green’s Rd, a short distance north of the Parakai Hot Pools. Over the course of the day there will be a fly-in from clubs all over the top half of the North Island. Will feature microlights, classic aircraft, parachuting, warbirds, and vintage cars.. The club will be open to welcome visitors, there will be radio controlled model aircraft and the Coastguard helicopter will be making a visit. For further information contact Vern on 09 411 8699 or visit www.parakaiaviation.org.nz.

Central Town

Addressing the Haggis
The European settlers were of Scottish origin and with the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robbie Burns, the auld ceremony of Addressing the Haggis will be performed by one of the descendents of the McLeod family. This will be accompanied by performances of Scottish Dancers and Pipe Band. The Haggis will be piped around the area before being addressed and ceremonially served. The RSA will be open next door for those requiring a wee dram with their haggis. Look out also for the Morris Dancers.

Art Centre
Behind the Art Stop Café you will find The Art Centre on Karaka St - part of the vibrant creative scene in Helensville. On Sunday you are welcome to join in as a giant interactive 'Victorian Sampler' will be constructed of plants and flowers woven through the fence. Contact Avon on 09 420 8383 for further information.

Art Kaipara
In the Midtown area you will find the Genesis Room where Art Kaipara will be holding an exhibition featuring local artists.  Contact Laurel for further information on 09 420 6062.

Creek Lane/ Wharf
This area around the centre of town will also feature various musical acts including the Brass Band, Pipe Band, local Kaipara College students and others. Look out for businesses around town to be open, street stalls, street performers etc.

Vintage Car groups will be visiting and cruising the town to add atmosphere. Make sure you dress up in Heritage Costume and join in the Fashion Parade if you dare. If you wish to be involved please contact Ron from Automania 09420 7282.

Musical events will take place over the day from the Creek Lane Wharf Lookout. Cafes will be open with music provided by local students.

Art Kaipara will be holding an exhibition in the Genesis Energy shop just up the road.

Kaipara College Dragon Boats
Demonstrating one of the more recent uses of the river we will be treated to a viewing of Kaipara College’s four times national champion Dragon Boat team. Head for the River Walkway or the Wharf for the 1.30pm display.

Te Awaroa Youth Club
And staying with the river and young people, our wonderful Te Awaroa Youth are organising kayak races on the river in the afternoon from 2pm to 4pm with food and music available.

Ngati Whatua O Kaipara
Our shared history includes hundreds of years of Maori settlement prior to European settlers. Call by the area next to Heartlands / the Old Post Office to find out what is happening now. Margaret Kawharu will be giving a talk on the local Treaty of Waitangi claims for our area .This will be followed by some performance by Kahurangi - an outstanding Kapa Haka Group. Food will also be served. For more information on Ngati Whatua O Kaipara visit their website: www.kaiparamoana.com.

Progressive Buildings
While you are in Commercial Road you may notice that one of our commercial heritage buildings is having a birthday. The Progressive Buildings are celebrating their 75th anniversary with a competition.  If you have any information or memories about the uses of those buildings over the years the owners would appreciate hearing them. Call into any of the open businesses to pick up an entry form, or email the Helensville Museum on helensvillemuseum@xtra.co.nz.

Helensville Railway Station
The Railway formed a vital part of the early development of the region and we are fortunate that our beautiful little station was saved by the dedicated work of the Railway Trust. Once a popular refreshment stop for passengers travelling north you can still find refreshment as well as some great shops. Do not miss the Memorabilia room, open from 10am.

A big welcome also to our guests arriving by train. The Railway station will be the place to be at 11.30am and again at 2.00pm with the arrival and departure of the Kaipara Cannonball Steam Train. If you come to meet the train make sure you dress up to create a great atmosphere for our visitors. For those Steam Train Travelers who have purchased their Heritage Day tickets, buses will be provided to take you to the main attractions. Otherwise a walk up the main street will take you passed some lovely shops, buildings, cafes and other festival activities. Tickets for Train Travelers are at the group rate of $10pp and we encourage you to pre-purchase in order to make the best use of your time.

Dress up in Heritage Costume – Spot prizes
We are keen to get as many people into costume as possible. Either make a costume yourself or get someone to make one for you. If you are a dressmaker or know of anyone who can help in this area please also contact Judy at the Museum 09 420 7880. Get in early with some of the costume hire places in the area and have fun. If all else fails a black skirt and white shirt with a straw boater is fine.

For inspiration come along to the Museum Open Day which takes place at the Helensville War Memorial Hall on Sunday, 13th September from 2pm to 4pm. A Century of Fashion 1860-1960 will feature clothes from the archives and presented by young women from Nem’s Drama School and Kaipara College. For more information contact Judy at the Museum on 420 7880.

Street Stalls

Iif you are interested in having a stall then please contact us.

For more information contact Sarah Legg ph: 420 9175 or Email: sarah@riversidecrafts.co.nz

Click here to download a Street Stall application form:     Word Doc     PDF