Discover, celebrate and be inspired by Auckland's unique heritage

Be prepared for more of Tamaki Makaurau’s unique and fascinating past to be uncovered as final preparations are made for Auckland’s ninth annual Heritage Festival.

The festival runs from 29 September to 14 October and has more than 200 events for people to discover, celebrate and be inspired by.

From Wellsford in the north to Waiuku in the south and many points in between, the festival programme is truly region-wide, and crammed with events that are largely free, or low-cost.

“Our people do so much to protect and preserve Auckland’s local heritage. The great scale of this festival shows the strength of their pride,” says Mayor Len Brown.

“As the story of Auckland continues to evolve, I encourage everyone to experience the history that makes us unique. Learn something new about your neighbourhood’s past or pick a part of Auckland you know little about and learn its story.”

“Find out about our rich natural heritage on guided tours of our Gulf islands, attend a one-off presentation on biodiversity, or join the walks and talks on our special and distinctive volcanoes.

“Learn about our built heritage at places like Highwic in Epsom, Scott House at Mahurangi Regional Park, Pah Homestead in Hillsborough, Donner House in Titirangi, and Nathan Homestead and Kelliher Estate in the south.”

For something a bit different, keep an eye out for events that celebrate the legacy of Sir John Logan Campbell, the ‘Father of Auckland’ who passed away 100 years ago.
Cast your vote to help decide the winner in the first ever Auckland Heritage Awards exhibition – or even take the winning photo.

This year the festival is geared for the school holidays, with events catering for ‘all ages’.

Wynyard Quarter will be the place to take a tram ride or boat ride. A ‘botanist’s adventure’ invites young apprentices to follow in the pioneering footsteps of Captain Cook’s botanist as he discovered new species.

As ever, the guardians of our heritage - Auckland Museum, Auckland Art Gallery, MOTAT, Auckland Zoo and the Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum and library staff - have put together splendid programmes for people of all ages to enjoy.

Out in the community, an army of volunteers are ready to share local history through an array of heritage walks, tours, and workshops.

Please click here to follow the link to the 2012 Auckland Heritage Festival programme. Please turn to the guide at the back of the programme to find events in your area.