UPCOMING EVENT DATES

BUSHTOWN STEAM UP WEEKEND 2024 & WOODCHOPPING TEST SERIES

NZ & AUS Veteran Woodchopping Test Series
Weekend event
+
South Canterbury Traction Engine & Transport Museum in action!

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Bushman’s life style
Edwardian heritage
Early Settler history
Craft Displays & Stalls
Kids activities & rides
Heritage Sawmill
Steam Traction & Vintage Engines
Threshing & Baling
Forest walk through native Tōtara bush & forest hut
Food & drink stalls

Kids Free
No dogs
Wet or fine

ABOUT BUSHTOWN HERITAGE SITE

Bushtown Heritage Site is an outdoor 7 hectare site that has been established as a snapshot of the early European settler period between 1860 to 1920 and over 20 thousand native trees and shrubs have been planted by many people in the Waimate community, schools, organisations and friends of Bushtown who are supporters of the development of this heritage site

VISITING BUSHTOWN

Visiting the site offers a snapshot of life in the Edwardian era in New Zealand ranging from the arrival of the first early European settlers who lived and worked in the bush in bushman's huts, to the establishment of open pit and steam operated sawmills, to a recreation of an early Edwardian high street community showing the first stores, businesses, church and homes and has a unique 10 and ¼ inch gauge miniature steam rail development being established onsite as the only miniature rail of it’s kind in New Zealand

Bushtown aims to be a visitor attraction to depict this period and is an ongoing longterm project with much of the native tree species planted are now more than 12 years old, forming a forest attracting native birds and providing a recreated forest walk on site

MAIN STREET

FOREST WALK

SAW MILL

MINIATURE RAIL

WHEN TO VISIT

Bushtown is currently open to the public on a series of
annual event days or for a pre-booked guided tour

You can contact us to arrange a pre-booked
guided tour of the site

The annual 'Steam Up Day' is held on the
second weekend of March

A Spring Open Day for members, volunteers
and Tōtara Tree Donors

Throughout the year for Tōtara Tree
planting ceremonies

TŌTARA TREE PLANTING

Bushtown offers the opportunity to plant your own Tōtara tree with a special ceremony dedicated to each Tōtara planted - this significant event is celebrated with an engraved plaque to mark each and every Tōtara; the location is mapped; a photograph certification provided, and this tree becomes a living legacy as part of this mighty Tōtara forest protected for the future and taken care of in perpetuity by Bushtown

The aim is to plant 700 podcarpus Tōtara trees which was the predominant forest cover. Tōtara trees are known for their hard timber and are a very long living tree species of hundreds of years

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON TŌTARA TREE PLANTING

BECOME A BUSHTOWN MEMBER

Annual Subscription (1 July - 30 June)

$10 single membership
$20 family membership

Your annual membership includes:
Invitation to attend the Spring Annual Open Day exclusive to members, Tōtara Tree Donors, Sponsors & Volunteers;
Email newsletter updates from Bushtown exclusive to its members

Life Membership

$500 to become a life member

BECOME A MEMBER

GUIDED SITE TOURS

Currently Bushtown offers pre-booked guided tours of the site for individuals or groups

These tours are guided by our Bushtown volunteers; and offer a chance to experience the developing heritage site first hand! Typically a tour takes approximately 1.5 hours with a welcome and overview of Bushtown, followed by a walking tour of the entire site including the Edwardian High Street, Church Hall, Tōtara Forest and Bushmans Huts.

Guided Tour $5 per person

We are able to cater for groups ranging from individuals who wish to visit the site or view their Tōtara Tree, through to large groups who may be visiting by coach. In the past Bushtown has been visited by a variety of schools; heritage, vintage machinery, garden interest and vintage car groups and clubs.

At present Bushtown is only open by appointment for our pre-booked tours - but we welcome anyone who is interested in visiting the site to contact us using the form below

Fill Out The Form Below To Make An Enquiry!

ANNUAL EVENT DAYS

STEAM UP DAY

HELD ANNUALLY ON THE SECOND WEEKEND OF MARCH

NEXT STEAM UP DAY

Bushtown Steam Up Day 2024

Join our email list & follow us on Facebook to keep up to date

A special thank you to the South Canterbury Traction Engine and Vintage Steam Club and the Waimate Museum for supporting our annual Steam Up events!

BUSHTOWN GUEST SPEAKERS

Each year Bushtown hosts a guest speaker for a public talk (held as part of Bushtown's AGM) typically held annually on a Sunday afternoon in July

Members of the public are welcome to join for this event held each year at the Waimate Bowling Club

Past speakers and topics have included: Paul Studholme on the Studholme Family as the first European settlers, The "Shantytown" Development Story, Tales of the Bushmen, Garfield Hayes on his Ancestor Alpheus Hayes on the early Sawmill Era

SPRING OPEN DAY

FOR MEMBERS, VOLUNTEERS & TOTARA TREE DONORS

This day is held annually to acknowledge and celebrate our wonderful supporters!

Especially to thank our hard working volunteers and those who have contributed to the ongoing development and growth of Bushtown over the past 12 years! The Spring Open Day features a guided site tour, viewing of the steam driven sawmill in action, walk through the Totara Forest, visit the Edwardian "Main Street" and an afternoon tea - a chance to get together with other Bushtown supporters

If you are interested in becoming a Bushtown Member - please click here