Yep, there’s some neat Victorian and Edwardian buildings in Timaru’s CBD! Use this hunt to spy clues to past tragedies and triumphs. Can you spot them all? Tick them off as you go...
Download .pdf here
CBD Hunt
Who lived here?
2 George St
Timaru Landing Service Building
Spot a plaque for Timaru’s 1st European House
Timaru’s 1st european house ... where George and Elizabeth Rhodes lived when they established Sth Canterbury’s 1st sheep station: The Levels. Samuel and Ann Williams with daughter Rebbeca, moved in next. Their son William was the first European born in Timaru in 1856. This was also Timaru’s first hotel and where the first Timaru Herald was printed. It was demolished by 1873.
What did this used to be?
2 King George Place
Timaru District Council Building
Originally McRae’s Stone Store
What did this used to be?
Timaru's Public Library, built with a donation from a wealthy American steel merchant Andrew Carnegie. His goal was to inspire world peace through education.
What did he do?
2 King George Place
Timaru District Council Building
Originally McRae’s Stone Store
Spot on the building Mayor James Cragie’s stone face
“A good father, citizen, politician and patriot” ... James Cragie (1851-1935) with wife Catherine Orr had one son and 6 daughters. He secured a grant from Andrew Carnegie for the 1909 Library, gifted the Burns statue, the oaks on Craigie Ave, the town clock chimes and art to the public collection. He was a painter and decorator “Smith & Craigie” and was on the Harbour Board, Health Board, Council, Mayor 1902-13, Member of Parliament and Legislative Council.
What’s on the manholes?
Along CBD Street Footpaths
Look down to find two different manhole designs
Who’s listening?
Sophia St opposite the arcade
Find Russell Clark’s 1957 Ear
This sculpture is on the former telephone exchange.
What’s behind?
In the Royal Arcade
Look for a 5 ft green door
It leads to a underground "strong" room that was fire proof for document storage. Iron from the Benvenue shipwreck was used for shelves in the strong room below.
Was there a tunnel?
Cnr Royal Arcade & Stafford Street
Spy basement windows at the former 1880 Priest and Holdgate store
A tunnel... was more like a basement used by Priest and Holdgate iron mongers who pushed a cart along rails under the arcade. The creek is piped underneath what’s thought to be NZ’s oldest surviving late Victorian / Edwardian commercial arcade from 1800.
Were some of NZ’s 1st motors built here?
183 Stafford Street
opposite The Royal Arcade
Spot the established date for Timaru’s 1st cycle shop where engineer Cecil Wood worked
Cecil Wood ... (1874 – 1965) is said to have built NZ’s first internal combustion engine used to drive a car 1897. NZ's first motorcycle in 1901 and second known indigenous car in 1902. He was friends with aviator Richard Pearse and helped him with his aeroplane motors. He tested his motors on Station St, to avoid the British 'Red Flag Act' of 6km/ph speed limit and needing a man to parade a red flag 50m ahead.
What’s the connection of lions & The Empire?
10 Church St
opposite The Old Bank
Spy tiny lions on the 1892 Empire Hotel extension
The lions ... “king of beasts” were use by the British Empire as a symbol to represent courage, bravery, ferocity and strength. Maybe it also promoted fear, respect and unity. By 1913 the Empire covered 24% of the Earth's land.
Who was murdered?
256 Stafford St
Alley beside Farmers
Find the blue gates where someone was shot in 1921
In an ally way... in 1921 Constable James Dorgan was shot and died against this gate. He was investigating a robbery at T & J Thomson's Drapery shop (now Farmers). He left behind wife Agnes and three children. His death is the only unsolved murder of a police officer in NZ.
CBD Heritage Buildings
1871 Landing Service Building 326
2 George St
1882 The Treasury 2074
Stafford St
1874 Gladstone Board of Works 327
95 Stafford St
1877 Theatre Royal 5393
118-122 Stafford St
c1870 Excelsior Hotel
132 Stafford St
1928 Government Life Building (Oxford) 2058
148-154 Stafford St & George St
1873 Timaru District Council Offices 2075
2 King George Place & Latter St
1879 Post Office
12-16 Sophia St
1883 Benvenue Memorial 2045
Perth Street & Sophia St
1880 St Mary’s Church (Anglican) 328
Church Street & Sophia St
1922 Public Trust Building 3161
41 Sophia St & Church St
1886 Timaru Herald
28 Sophia St
1888 Royal Arcade
Sophia St through to Stafford St
1876 Old Bank Tavern
232 Stafford St
1903 Chalmers Church 7107
2 Elizabeth Place & Sophia St
1912 Dominion Hotel 2053
334-336 Stafford St
1912 O’Meeghan’s Building
256 Stafford St
1902 Cornoation Building 2057
256 Stafford St
1925 Tekapo Buidings 3163
255-265 Stafford St
1907 Hay’s Building 2048
229-237 Stafford St & Strathallan St
1892 Pyne Gould Guinness Building 2069
Strathallan St
1885 Brick Tunnel and Railway Siding 7307
9 Strathallan St & The Terrace
1901 D.C. Turnbull & Co
Strathallan St
1902 Customs House 324
2 Strathallan St, Cains Tce & Station St
1915 Grosvenor Hotel 2054
26 Cains Terrace & 8 Beswick St
1920 Royal Hotel Timaru 3162
30 Cains Tce
1910 Atlas Chambers Offices 2077
17 Beswick St
1910 T&G Building 2070
199-209 Stafford St
1886 Johnston's Menswear Building 3153
218 Stafford St
1880 Tourist Cycle Works
183 Stafford St
1880 Volcan Building
Stafford St & Royal Arcade
1886 Werry's Private Guest Hotel
1 Cains Tce
1913 Meehan's Building 2062
5-7 George St
1888 Evans Atlas Flourmill 2056
34-36 Turnbull St