Wakefield: History, Museums and the Great Taste Trail

Wakefield combines early settlement history with museums, cycling routes and other ways to spend an active day. The town is one of New Zealand’s earliest European settlements and has several historically interesting buildings. This gives you different options when planning your trip: architecture and cemetery history, steam and transport technology, or cycling and disc golf.

Church history and places of remembrance

St John’s Church is the oldest surviving church on New Zealand’s South Island. Marianne Reay designed it in 1846; it is considered the first known building in New Zealand architecture designed by a woman. The church stands among mature trees and a historic cemetery. This lets you combine a look at an early building with a walk through a place steeped in history.

The St John’s Cemetery Walk leads to the headstone of Mary Ann and Edward Baigent, who are often described as the founders of Wakefield. The walk adds another perspective on local history to a visit to the church, without turning the cautious wording about the Baigents into a definitive claim that they founded the town.

Collections and historical insights

Willow Bank Heritage Village features recreated shops and historic exhibits. You’ll find it at 79 Wakefield-Kohatu Highway in Wakefield. Traditional high tea is served there on selected dates; check the current dates with the operator if you’re planning a visit. The shops and objects on display offer a different way to explore the past than the church and cemetery.

Pigeon Valley Steam Museum has an extensive collection of steam-related exhibits, including two Fowler traction engines: one with 8 hp and one with 5 hp. On Steam-Up days, visitors can enjoy free rides on a trailer pulled by a traction engine and on the bush tramway. Dates and seasonal schedules may vary, so it’s worth checking the latest information before travelling.

Historic Transport Museum collects, displays, preserves and restores vehicles, machinery, artefacts and memorabilia relating to the transport history of Nelson, Marlborough and the West Coast. Together with the steam collection, it appeals to travellers interested in different aspects of technological history.

Cycling, golf and disc golf

Tasman’s Great Taste Trail offers two sections of different lengths, each with roughly the same estimated cycling time. Town to Country leads to Wakefield, is 34 km long and takes approximately 2–3 hours by bike. Rural Tasman runs from Wakefield through the historic 1.4 km Spooners Tunnel to Tapawera; the 31 km route is also estimated to take approximately 2–3 hours. The route then descends via Kohatu. The similar time estimates and different distances make it easier to compare the two options for a day of cycling; check current trail conditions before setting out.

Redstone Golf Park has a flat golf course with 9 or 18 holes, as well as a disc golf course with three marked nine-hole layouts. The disc golf layouts suit a range of experience levels. This offers an alternative to longer bike rides, with a different level of activity and time commitment. Operating conditions may change; check current visitor information if you’re planning a visit for a specific date.

The Great Taste Trail in the Tasman District

In the Tasman District, the Great Taste Trail is part of Nga Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trail. The rail-trail route runs from Richmond to Brightwater, from Brightwater to Wakefield, and onwards to Tapawera. At a regional level, the trail offers sweeping views across Tasman Bay, the Waimea Estuary and the Western Ranges. Wakefield can therefore be explored as one section of a longer route, while the distances and approximate cycling times provided help with planning your day locally.

Discover more destinations: Anatori, Upper Moutere, Mapua, Saint Arnaud, Ngatimoti, Kikiwa, Parapara, Marahau.

For the main travel overview: Tasman District.