Culture & Heritage
Waitohi / Picton is steeped in maritime history. Captain Cook’s visits to Queen Charlotte Sound, early New Zealand port history, whaling history, the world’s discovery ship visits, Maori and European settler history to name a few, enrich this town with an historic and important past. Through the years, Waitohi / Picton has been a bustling port, a gold mining town, a fishing port and now a tourism destination.
Just outside of Waitohi / Picton on the road to Waikawa Bay, you find Waikawa Marae (Ko Waikawa Te Marae). This stunning Marae with its beautifully carved meeting house is the perfect place to find out more about the Maori heritage of the area.
The world’s oldest merchant ship, The Edwin Fox, sits in dry dock in Picton Harbour. Picton Heritage & Whaling Museum houses an extensive collection of artefacts including early Maori artefacts and is well worth a visit.
Edwin Fox Ship & Visitor Centre
The Edwin Fox Ship and Visitor Centre is a fantastic piece of New Zealand and world heritage.
The Edwin Fox is the last surviving convict ship that took convicts to Australia and the oldest surviving merchant ship left in the world! Bought for a shilling in 1965 and now preserved for future generations.
Come walk the decks and the depths of the graving dock and experience what life on board would have been like; we are child-friendly and a great all-weather activity.
Open every day (except Christmas) from 9am.
LOCATION
Dunbar Wharf, Picton Foreshore,
1 Auckland Street, Picton
PHONE
03 573 6868
WEBSITE
Picton Heritage and Whaling Museum
Overlooking the Picton Foreshore the museum contains historical collections from Picton (Waitohi) and the Sounds dating back to the 1700s.
Explore the stories of families who lived here and how Picton came to be as well as significant Maori (Te Atiawa) history and artefacts, documentations of maritime activities in the Sounds and a comprehensive display of the history of whaling.
LOCATION
9 London Quay, Picton
PHONE
WEBSITE
03 573 8283