Wuhootimaru

Wuhootimaru Looking for Free Fun in Timaru? Find a WuHoo! Following us for history, environment, arts and cultur Looking for free fun in Timaru?
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Family friendly fun activities in Timaru that are free. Timaru District has wonderful environment, and rich heritage and culture to explore. There is so much, it's hard sometimes to know where to start. So Timaru couple Rose and Chris with some help, decided to pull together some scavenger hunts and challenges to help folks be inspired to explore. You can pop into the South Canterbury Museum and T

imaru Visitor Center to pick up your free scavenger hunts and hand outs. And explore our website to find: Timaru Botanic Gardens Scavenger Hunt, Caroline Bay Scavenger Hunt, Timaru Sculpture Challenge, Play43 Playground Challenge, Brass Rubbing Trail, Timaru Rocks, Home History Resources and Profiles, Colourful Fact Sheets, Art History WuHoo Sign Trail + Scenic Routes and Day Trips. Follow WuHooTimaru on Facebook and Instagram to see their families discoveries and inspiration to find your own WuHoo in the Timaru District. Website: WuHooTimaru.co.nz Instagram/WuHooTimaru Facebook/WuHooTimaru

Are you looking for resources or activities to print off and use when you are next at the cplay playground? There's a he...
07/11/2024

Are you looking for resources or activities to print off and use when you are next at the cplay playground? There's a heap of free downloads here :)

https://www.cplay.co.nz/resources

Happy long weekend - some of you will have started early with a teacher only day!Make the most of the dry weather today,...
24/10/2024

Happy long weekend - some of you will have started early with a teacher only day!

Make the most of the dry weather today, and give the sculpture hunt a go :) See if you can find the newest sculptures at the Caroline Bay Playground - Bill Donald Patterson, who also created the Captain Cain statue.

A high res .pdf file is on our website :)

15/10/2024

The biggest Supermoon
of the year will rise
tomorrow night 17th Oct 2024

This is exciting! Eyes to the skies tonight. Remember it comes and goes in pulses, so that's why they call it Aurora hun...
11/10/2024

This is exciting! Eyes to the skies tonight. Remember it comes and goes in pulses, so that's why they call it Aurora hunting :)

09/10/2024

The Little Kiwi Story Trail is a fantastic new trail to get the kids exploring outside these school holidays! 🔍👣

This trail has just opened in the Temuka Domain and is based on the book 'Time For Bed Little Kiwi' by Temuka author/illustrator Bob Darroch.

Use the Little Kiwi Story Trail on the Timaru Trails app to find your way around, to help track little kiwi down!
https://timarutrails.stqry.app/1/tour/27630
https://qrco.de/timarutrailsapp

08/10/2024

Beautiful Aurora showing off up in our skies tonight

08/10/2024
We love this photo! Do you recognise this corner?This historic photo from Te Papa's online collection shows the Corner o...
05/10/2024

We love this photo! Do you recognise this corner?

This historic photo from Te Papa's online collection shows the Corner of Church and Stafford Streets in Timaru where the 'Great 1868' fire broke out 156 years ago, destroying 3/4 of Timarus early CBD.

The old bank (on the right) is still there today.
On the left is the Empire Hotel Building. It was demolished, and this is where Hallensteins is now. (Such a handsome building huh!)

The Empire Hotel replaced a wooden furniture shop that was destroyed after the 1868 fire. This is where the fire started and roared all the way down Stafford St to where the Theatre Royal is now.

Imagine the scene the next day... smoking piles of ashes and brick chimneys, the devastation must have been overwhelming. Over 38 buildings were lost in just three hours, and many were only partially insured, leaving people with just the clothes on their backs. Despite the destruction, Timaru's resilient community rebuilt from the ashes, creating a new CBD, built stronger in brick and stone.

Next time you're walking down Church Street, look up and see if you can spot the tiny lions still perched on the remaining part of the Empire Hotels extension. It's a small reminder of a huge part of Timaru's history.

Want to learn more about the 1868 fire? Check out our fun facts and coloring sheet. See how many heritage buildings you can recognize! Download it for free here: https://www.wuhootimaru.co.nz/1868-timaru-fire](https://www.wuhootimaru.co.nz/1868-timaru-fire

Image: Timaru, circa 1904, Dunedin, by Muir & Moodie. Te Papa (C.014407)

https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/object/16787

Happy school holidays!Fun fact: 156 years ago, a boy was melting glue over a fire behind what is now Hallensteins in Tim...
05/10/2024

Happy school holidays!

Fun fact: 156 years ago, a boy was melting glue over a fire behind what is now Hallensteins in Timaru. He stepped away for a moment, and when he returned, the shavings on the floor had caught fire. People rushed to a water tank for help, but because water had been stolen for horses, the tap had been removed. With no water and a hot nor'wester fanning the flames, the fire quickly spread—destroying not just one, but 38 buildings. It roared down Stafford Street, from the corner of Church Street to near Woollcombe Street, reducing three-quarters of our CBD to ashes in just three hours. Many were only partially insured and escaped with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

Learn more about Timaru's devastating 1868 fire, which destroyed most of the commercial centre and left over 120 people homeless... But from the ashes, a new CBD emerged!

Download our free facts page and give the colouring sheet a try — color the flames or turn them into clouds. See how many of our heritage buildings you can recognize!

Download here
https://www.wuhootimaru.co.nz/colouring-sheets

Fun Sunday.. just casually hanging out with the mars rover at the South Canterbury Museum! Special vist, open till 4pm t...
22/09/2024

Fun Sunday.. just casually hanging out with the mars rover at the South Canterbury Museum! Special vist, open till 4pm today...

18/09/2024
16/09/2024

Timaru faced a dramatic event in September 1975 when 2,000 gallons of naptha oil leaked from the Gasworks into stormwater drains. This led to an explosion and fire in shops on Stafford Street! Fortunately, no-one was hurt, but the gas levels were so dangerously high that the entire town centre had to be evacuated, marking Timaru’s first-ever formal state of emergency.

Do you remember this event? Share your memories below. And to read more, go to https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/4207

Throwback to Timaru’s coastline before the Port was built! This old map shows just how different the coastline looked – ...
10/09/2024

Throwback to Timaru’s coastline before the Port was built! This old map shows just how different the coastline looked – can you spot where Ashbury Park and Caroline Bay are today?

Building a harbor in Timaru was a hot topic 1860 and 70s. Many thought it wasn’t needed because the railway was about to connect Timaru with Christchurch’s Lyttelton Port. But others could see the opportunity that would come from improving safety and efficiency and so locals pushed forward, believing a port was key to the town’s future. The port was only one of two independently owned ports in the country, a critical asset for the ratepayers of Timaru.

Construction started in 1878 with the 700m southern breakwater, designed by John Goodall. As the breakwaters were built, sand began to accumulate, transforming the Stoney shoreline into what we now know as Caroline Bay. The harbor continued to expand and change, with work continuing even to the present day.


Timaru Harbour, Province of Canterbury : general chart of Timaru and adjoining coast by Sir John Coode showing works recommended by Sir John Coode, August 1875. (from Patiti Point to Washdyke Lagoon). The proposed works are shown by red colour.

Timaru Foreshore. NZ Heritage Maps Platform, accessed 10/09/2024, https://maps.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/404

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GREAT FIRE IN TIMARU. IMMENSE DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY. [JBOM OT/S OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Timabu, Dec. 8. Timaru is in ruins. One of the most disastrous fires ever known in this colony took place here on Monday afternoon, 7th Dec, by which two-thirds of the bueiness part of the town has been destroyed. It originated in a email workshop behind a furniture warehouse on the Great South Road, both occupied by D. Munro. Glue was being melted there, upon a small stove, when suddenly the place took fire, and in a few minutes the furniture warehouse, from which most of the contents had been just saved, was enveloped in flames. • Water was scarce, but no abundance of it could have prevented the progress of the fire, for a violent, nor'-wester raged at the time, funning the flames, and carrying firebrands in every direction. The whole townspeople were in great consternation, eagerly remov in g their effect s, expecting that the all-devouring fire would reach them. Tho flames soon "caught the shops of Knight, painter; Wood, saddler ; Solomon, draper ; French, seedsman ; Younghusband, bookseller; Greer, tobacconist ; Jacobs, watchmaker ; Erskine, grocer; Weaver, tailor; Stubbs, butcher; Perry, solicitor ; Watkins, druggist; Bank of New Zealand ; Club Hotel; Clarkson and Turnbull's drapery and ironmongery stores; the Post-office ; Telegraph-office ; Postmaster's house; Beldy, tobacconist ; Butler, chemist ; Solomon, draper; Bilton, house of E. D. Burne, Union Bank of Australia; King, butcher's shop and house ; Murison, baker; Melton's stables ; Mountford, photographer; brick huildings occupied by Frazer Brothers ; and Pogonowski, barber—a lose of property valued at £80,000. In the: evening the whole street known as the Great South road was a scene of utter ruin and deeolation, for nothing remained but rows of brick chimneys, eurrounded by burning heaps of ashes. A number of special constables were sworn in for the night, to watch the smouldering fire, and to protect property.

Our wuhoo this weekend... Woodbury domains flying fox!!!

Wow! We popped down to visit the Hinemoana, a double-hulled waka sailing under the flag of the Cook Islands! We were welcomed on board to explore, and were given a tour and a lesson on how they use the star compass carved into the deck, to navigate by the stars in the traditional method. Incredible to imagine being out on the vast sea miles from anywhere, and the skill the crew has to fond their way. Truely special family moment, and very greatful for the experience. Quite amazing to stand on this boat, and share the story of the Benvenue disaster, 40 meters from where that ship wrecked. It arrived in Caroline Bay on Monday, to take shelter due to weather and can sleep over 20 people. Owned by the Te Toki Voyaging Trust.

Go outside now!!!! Incredible Aurora, possibly a once in a lifetime time show! Look south... less light pollution the better

Free family fun at the Aigantighe Art Gallery this weekend! Box City!

Wow!!!!!!!! "The Kaylee Bell concert at the Caroline Bay Soundshell on Thursday evening attracted one of the largest crowds since Stan Walker in 2015." - Timaru Herald

FREE EVENT soapbox ready! Free event on today! Alpine Energy Soapbox Durby Timaru's most Epic Event is on today Sunday 29th October 2023. Come down to see the teams compete against each other and push their carts to their limits in the hopes of taking out the 2023 Champion title! This is a free community event with family-friendly entertainment and food & beverages available on-site. Bring the family along for a fun-filled day out in support of local charity groups. Thank you to all the amazing organizers and supporters !!! #soapboxderby #welovetimaru #ReadyToRace #waimataitaischool

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Looking for free fun? Find a WuHoo

This is a free voluntary initiative to celebrate what Free Fun the Timaru District has to offer, and encourage folks to spend more time in nature. “We were concerned at reports of how kiwi kids spend little time playing in nature, and felt that a project like this might help encourage people to get out and about a little bit more. Especially when it's free and so accessible.” From the success of Timaru Rocks and The Timaru Sculpture Challenge comes a range of Family fun activities in Timaru that can be completed any time for free.

WuHoo Scavenger Hunts: Our latest Scavenger Hunt for the Timaru Botanic Gardens is out now! Available from the Timaru Information Centre. This is a new free initiative to get kids away from their screens and out into nature. There is a map which includes seven activities such as an Eye Spy Challenge, Scavenger Hunt, Botanic Bucket List, Code Breaker and Bush Bingo. These fun activities are suitable for locals and visitors, 2 years olds right up to the most advanced Scavenger Hunter. Learn more here

WuHoo Signs: We are also working on a project to create and install signs across the district with images from the Aigantighe Art Galleries permanent collection, local poetry, social history tales and images from the museum. Once a network was established we hope to have a scavenger hunt/map to encourage locals and visitors to explore and find them all. The first pilot signs are planned for the Coastal Track at Patiti Point and Caroline Bay. Watch this space!

Website: WuHooTimaru.co.nz Instagram/WuHooTimaru Facebook/WuHooTimaru