‘Heritage Hub’ vision realised - Centre opening

Supporting organisations and media are invited to attend a special function celebrating the commissioning of the new Gore Visitor Centre and Māruawai Temporary Exhibition Space at the Māruawai Centre on Thursday 13 August.

The event marks an important milestone in the development of Gore's new local history and

heritage hub on Norfolk Street, with the first stage of the facility now ready to welcome visitors and the community.

A special feature of the opening will be "Happy Birthday Sgt Dan: Celebrating 111 Years", an installation comprising 111 Sgt Dan figures created by students from Tuturau, Mataura, Pukerau, East Gore and St Mary's schools. A complementary Sgt Dan exhibition developed by the Gore District Council Department of Arts & Heritage will also be on display.

Mayor Ben Bell said the opening was an important milestone for the district.

"The Māruawai Centre has been many years in the making and represents a significant investment in preserving and sharing the stories of Gore and the wider district. We are excited to welcome the community and visitors to this new facility and to showcase the creativity of our local students through the Sgt Dan exhibition."

District Arts & Heritage Curator Jim Geddes said the opening was the result of the community working together.

"This is an exciting addition for our community and for everyone who has supported this project over many years. The opening of the Gore Visitor Centre and Temporary Exhibition Space is the first step in bringing the vision for Māruawai Centre to life. It provides a welcoming gateway for visitors and a place where the stories, history and heritage of Gore and the wider district can be shared, celebrated and preserved for future generations."

The Māruawai Centre occupies the former Salvation Army building and forms a key part of the redevelopment of Gore's heritage precinct. The project has been delivered through a partnership between Gore District Council and Hokonui Rūnanga and has received support from central government, including funding through the Provincial Growth Fund and Department of Internal Affairs, as well as generous contributions from the Mataura Licensing Trust and the Community Trust South.

The vision for the centre was first developed nearly two decades ago as a community-led initiative to modernise Gore's heritage infrastructure and create a contemporary facility for

visitors, researchers and residents. Since receiving Provincial Growth Fund support in 2019, the project has progressed through a range of challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first stage opening includes the new Gore Visitor Centre and the Māruawai Temporary Exhibition Space. The Hokonui Heritage Research Centre is expected to be fitted out later this year, while additional heritage and Mataura Valley-themed displays will be completed and opened in stages through 2027 and 2028.

Event Details

Date: Thursday 13 August 2026 Time: 12 noon Venue: Māruawai Centre, Norfolk Street, Gore

A light finger lunch will follow the formal proceedings.

RSVP by 11 August to: Tracy Quertier tquertier@goredc.govt.nz