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Hahei Memorial Garden
Time to Remember

Welcome to the Memorial Garden web page.

We have made excellent progress this year in moving the Memorial Garden towards completion.  An official opening is to be held at the Garden, Pa Road, Hahei, on Sunday, 11 October 2020 at 9.00 am, followed by morning tea in the Community Centre.  Anyone is welcome to attend.

The Garden comprises three storyboards telling a brief history of Ngati Hei and the Wigmore and Harsant families.  One plaque wall now has nine plaques in place, remembering family members and friends who have died and who have had an affiliation with Hahei and contributed to, and relished in, the community life of Hahei.

The plaque walls and the historical wall are constructed of rough-sawn timber posts and Corten steel with stainless steel plaques attached.

The Tree of Life sculptural stonewall was completed in the garden by stonemason Mark Urlich in May 2020, following the 5-week lockdown of the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Concept

For many years the Council’s Reserves Management Plan for Hahei has had a designation for a Memorial Garden in Kotare Reserve.

The Memorial Garden has received support from the Thames Coromandel District Council and local Iwi and the land was blessed by Joe Davis, Kaumatua of Ngati Hei on 4 November 2017.

People who live in, or have an affiliation with Hahei, have been involved in the concept plans, plaque design and manufacture, artists’ illustrations, construction and ongoing maintenance.

Information on plaque placement and historical records will be held in the Hahei Library and the Mercury Bay Museum, Whitianga.

This Garden has been designed for anyone to place a plaque in memory of family or friends.  It has an atmosphere of quiet beauty where Hahei residents, property owners and visitors from around New Zealand and the world can contemplate and reflect.  The Trustees hope you will take time to visit the Garden and enjoy its historical content and peaceful ambience.

Continuing History

We have collated a database of deceased persons of the Hahei community whose family or friends may wish to have them remembered in the Garden.

If you know of anyone who may be interested, please contact Trustee Peter Hawley on 07 866 3272 or click here to email Peter

Trustees

The Trustees were appointed for a further year at the Trust’s AGM in July 2019.

  • Christine Bannan, Chair
  • Kay Harrison, Secretary
  • Stuart King, Treasurer
  • Gilbert Bannan, Trustee
  • Karen Blair, Trustee
  • Peter Hawley, Trustee
  • Mary Milroy, Trustee

Contacts

You can email any of the above Contacts clicking on their name

Address – C/- Hahei Beach Store, RD 1, Whitianga 3591, NZ

Trust Details

An Incorporated Society was registered on 15 June 2017, Charities Commission Registration received November 2017 (CC54902) and Donee status from the Inland Revenue Department in December 2017.

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Our Trustees

Trust (1 Of 1)

How to Apply for a Plaque

For an application form to purchase a plaque please click here. Plaque Application The cost is $250. In addition, purchasers will need to have their plaque engraved/inscribed at their cost and returned to the Trust for mounting to a wall.

As part of the history, the plaque application form includes a section to record the person’s association with Hahei. This information will be held with the plaque records.

Donations

Donations and grants to the value of $46,150 have been received so far from members of the community and charitable agencies. If you wish to make a donation please click here. Donation Form.pdf.

Donations of $5 or more are eligible for a tax credit.