Discover Tirau: Animal-Shaped Buildings, Crafts and Golf

Distinctive animal-shaped buildings, a wool and craft shop, a corrugated-iron pukeko sculpture and golf give Tirau an unusually tangible character. Architecture and crafts shape the town, while the golf course offers an activity with its own appeal. When planning your trip, you can weigh up whether you are most interested in designed animal motifs, local crafts or golf.

A dog and a sheep as buildings

Tirau’s information centre is housed in a dog-shaped building. The Dog is an iconic building and a prominent landmark on Tirau’s main street. Sheep-shaped buildings house a wool and craft shop. While the dog shape defines the information centre, the sheep buildings combine a striking architectural form with a specific craft theme. In Tirau, you’ll find several reasons to take an interest in architecture and local crafts.

Corrugated-iron pukeko art

Another animal form appears as a corrugated-iron sculpture of a pukeko. Unlike the dog- and sheep-shaped buildings, the motif is presented here as a sculpture. This difference makes Tirau an interesting place to visit if you enjoy noticing designed details on your travels: animal shapes appear both in the architecture and as an independent art form. The pukeko sculpture thus offers a different accent from the buildings and the wool and craft shop.

Golf as a distinct travel focus

Tirau Golf Club offers a parkland-style 18-hole course with a par of 65. The course caters to experienced golfers as well as beginners and social groups. This makes it possible to include golf as a distinct focus in your travel plans, while the animal shapes and sculpture are more likely to appeal to design interests. The details about the course style, number of holes and par give the golf offering a clear profile that you can compare with Tirau’s other attractions.

Finding your way around and taking a break on the main street

The information centre is at the northern end of town on State Highway 1 and has plenty of parking. Its roadside location and parking are practical points of reference when including Tirau in your travel plans. On Tirau’s main street, Poppys Café serves coffee, smoothies, homemade cabinet food and brunch. The menu may change, so check what is currently on offer before your visit. Alongside architecture, crafts and golf, a café break is another possible reason to visit.

Choose accommodation to suit your travel interests

When looking for hotels for a trip to Tirau, you can start by considering what you want to shape your stay: the animal-shaped architecture and wool and crafts, golf or a café visit. These interests give your planning a concrete starting point. If you’d also like to explore regional cultural themes, you can widen your focus to the broader South Waikato District.

More to explore in the South Waikato District

The wider South Waikato District offers other distinct themes to explore. Arapuni Suspension Bridge is on the Waikato River downstream of Arapuni Power Station. The NZ Timber Museum is just south of Putāruru on State Highway 1 and focuses on the history of New Zealand’s timber industry. It was established in 1927 to celebrate, document and preserve this history, particularly in the South Waikato District. In Tokoroa, the Talking Poles stand in the town centre. The unique sculptures were designed for locals and visitors; as carved poles, they represent Tokoroa’s different cultures, clubs and organisations. The river, industrial history and cultural expression thus add to the broader range of regional themes.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Tokoroa, Okoroire, Putāruru, Piarere.

Back to the wider travel guide: South Waikato District.