A piece of Te Aroha’s history finds a new home
One of Te Aroha’s Coulter Bridge streetlight fittings has found a new home at the Te Aroha and District Museum, helping preserve part of the town’s story.
As part of the upgrade to new lantern-style streetlights, we worked with the Te Aroha and District Museum Committee Secretary Evie Kinane to make sure one of the fittings could be kept for its collection.
Last week, we handed over one of the lamps to Administrator Ruth Elgoran and Volunteer Barbara Hill.
Te Aroha and District Museum Admnistrator Ruth Elgoran and Volunteer Barbara Hill
Streetlights on Coulter Bridge have changed over time, with this latest upgrade marking the third generation of lighting on the bridge.
The museum already holds one of the original blue-and-white lamps from the early years of the bridge. This newer fitting represents a more recent chapter and helps tell the wider story of how the bridge has changed.
It will join a collection that highlights the history of the river, the bridge, and the people connected to it. This includes Robert Coulter’s desk, a commemorative plaque, and local stories about the bridge’s construction.
Te Aroha and District Museum Committee display
Te Aroha and District Museum Committee display
Evie, who has been volunteering at the museum for nearly seven years, said the team was pleased to add another piece to the collection. She first fell in love with Te Aroha after reading about the town in a heritage magazine, and has come to know it even more deeply through her time at the museum.
“We have a wonderful display here about the Coulter Bridge and Robert Coulter himself, including the story of how the bridge came to be,” she said. “Adding this lamp helps bring that history to life.”
The museum is supported by around 20 volunteers, many of whom were born and raised in Te Aroha.
Te Aroha and District Museum Committee Secretary Evie Kinane
Te Aroha and District Museum Committee Secretary Evie Kinane
Barbara has been volunteering at the museum for about four years, while Ruth has been part of the team for about eight. Both were born in Te Aroha and call it home today. Barbara said the museum is full of fascinating stories that reflect the town’s past.
Ruth said around 95 percent of the museum’s visitors come from out of town, giving them a chance to learn more about Te Aroha’s history.
Her own connection to the district runs deep. Her father and grandfather were both local doctors and well-known community figures, and their photos are displayed on the museum walls.
The lamp measures approximately 40cm by 90cm and will be carefully secured for display by the museum’s team once the right space is confirmed.
As the new lantern-style streetlights roll out across the main street and Coulter Bridge, this handover keeps a visible link to the past.
Discover more about Te Aroha and District Museum including opening hours at tearoha-museum.com/home
Giving old lights a new life
There are around 30 of the old streetlight fittings available, and we’re keen to see them reused where possible rather than sent to landfill.
They are in fair condition, with some signs of age and weathering. These lights are offered as is, where is. They’re no longer suitable for use as streetlights, but could be repurposed for decorative or display use.
We’ve reached out to local organisations and community groups, including Te Aroha Museum & Districts Museum and Adrian Worsley Gallery, and we also welcome interest from the public.
- expressions of interest close Friday, 5 June
- we’ll confirm a collection date once we understand the level of interest
