Kiwiana Displays
Kiwiana display cases in town showcase a wide variety of Kiwiana themes including Buzzy Bee, the All Blacks, Team NZ, Sir Edmund Hillary, Rural Life, the Sheep Story, Pavlova, Colin Meads…
Ed Hillary Walkway
Opened on 12 December, 2008 by Lady June Hillary, the Walkway connects Maniapoto Street (the main street on State Highway 3) with Wahanui Crescent. It houses an arcade of Kiwiana display cases, informative Kiwiana poster panels and a series of giant Kiwiana photo Murals.
Events
- International Sun Alliance Vintage Car Rally (February 2000) – 6 days of Kiwiana themed community events for visiting Rally drivers
- Touchdown TV feature (April 2002) – with Touchdown TV celebrity guest, Marc Ellis
- Team NZ Parade & Gala Dinner (5 September, 2002) – a celebration of the ‘Rural Connection to Team NZ
- Otorohanga officially recognised as ‘New Zealand’s Kiwiana Town’ by Prime Minister, Helen Clark (5 September, 2002)
- New Zealand’s first Great Kiwiana Festival (March 2005)
- New Zealand’s Second Great Kiwiana Festival (March 2006)
- New Zealand’s Third Great Kiwiana Festival (March 2007)
- A series of Kiwiana-themed community ‘mini events’ over the years
Website project
The Kiwiana website: www.kiwianatown.co.nz (first version launched October 2001)
Main street Kiwiana icons
14 popular Kiwiana icon ‘cut outs’ hang on the lamp posts along the main street
Murals and sculptures
- 4 large murals celebrate Kiwiana themes
- Two highly decorated 3-metre high corrugated-iron kiwi identify the north and south entrances to Otorohanga
- Colourful steel butterflies on a wall in the main street acknowledge our Project Kiwiana sponsors
- Large entrance signs to the town inform visitors about the Main Street Kiwiana displays
Information / Merchandise / Kiwiana props
- Kiwiana brochures – available at the Otorohanga i-SITE
- Custom-made Kiwiana mugs and stickers
- Kiwiana postage stamps in collaboration with the Otorohanga i-SITE Visitor Information Centre
- Kiwiana posters
- Kiwiana props and costumes to enhance Kiwiana-style events (contact us if you would like to arrange hire)
Project Kiwiana collaboration and partnerships
- Otorohanga Public Toilets – Kiwiana themed exterior and interior refurbishment (in collaboration with the Otorohanga Community Board)
- Kiwiana-themed redesign of interior and exterior of Otorohanga i-SITE (in partnership with the Otorohanga District Development Board and Otorohanga i-SITE)
- Design and funding of the Ed Hillary Walkway (in partnership with the Otorohanga Community Board and Otorohanga District Council)
- Kiwiana-themed school tours (in partnership with the Otorohanga i-SITE and Waitomo Educational Services)
None of the above would be possible without the volunteers that make up the Project Kiwiana Committee.