From DIY to stories of NZ Land Wars

A Bunnings Warehouse store which closed in the Waikato almost a year ago, could be transformed into a museum with a strong focus on educating the public about the New Zealand Land Wars.

Waipa¯ District Council spent

$2.05 million to buy the former Bunnings store on Arawata St in Te Awamutu in the hope of using it to house its planned Te Ara Wai Museum.

The museum would showcase the Waipa¯ district, New Zealand history and stories of the New Zealand Land Wars.

The Waipa¯ district is home to some of the most significant conflicts during the 1800s, at Rangiaowhia and O Ra¯ kau, Kakepuku, Kara¯ piro, Pirongia, Nga¯ Roto and Cambridge.

The council confirmed the warehouse purchase on May 11 and said it also planned to lease the land the building is on from the Parish of St John.

The Bunnings store closed in July 2020 after the country emerged from the first set of

Covid-19 alert levels.

The council said it would use the existing warehouse for the museum, rather than construct a new building, although some improvements would have to be made to meet specifications for acoustic, thermal and security measures.

The council said it would also have to enhance the facade as it would be the gateway to Te Awamutu.

Its plans for a museum were put on hold in August 2020 because philanthropic funding had dried up after the national lockdown.

Pre-Covid, the council planned a $40m, 3300m2 museum and then post-lockdown it was downgraded to a smaller, $16m, 1633m2 museum.

The Bunnings Warehouse site