The MOTAT Society

Take me back! A fortnight ago we headed over to Waiheke Island to tour Stony Batter. Fantastic trip gand we all learned a lot. Thanks to Tim Moon and the DOC team for taking such good care of us.

SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT - MOTAT Society’s October Event Most of the MOTAT Society’s monthly events have been trips away to look at the work of others, from mechanical and historical restoration to innovative bookbinding and pottery. So when the opportunity arose for a hands-on opportunity to explore my own creativity I for one jumped at the chance alon...

MotSoc visit to Bush Tramway Club – 6th August 2023 We were looking forward to our visit to the Bush Tramway Club again following our last visit there two years ago. It was then and was again this time one of our highlight trips. We were there on a day when the Club had just advertised in the local Waikato news that they were still open after the flo...

ROSS BROS CAR MUSEUM – CHROME AND SHINE VS RUST AND TARNISH On Saturday 22nd July the MOTAT Society gathered a small group of its members for a tour of the Ross Bros Car Museum in Cambridge. The museum is a private collection of classic muscle cars, vintage trucks, and equipment put together by the Ross brothers who operate Cambridge’s C & R Developments, ...

Les Downey: 6 June 1930 –15 September 2023 HONORARY LIFE MEMBER MOTAT SOCIETY Les was born in Wellington and from early childhood had a strong interest in models, particularly cars, ships and aircraft made out of cast alloy or carved out of wood. His first job, post-war, was with a model aircraft supply company and in seeking a more serious....

Your 2024 MOTAT Society Committee The MOTAT Society held its 2023 AGM on Wednesday the 13th of September 2023 with the usual AGM processes - obits for the previous year, annual financials, and election of the committee members. This year we were grateful to be given a very interesting and entertaining presentation from MOTAT Staff a...

https://www.motatsociety.org.nz/post/motat-society-september-excursion-to-stardome-planetarium-and-observatory-19-09-2023

MOTAT Society September Excursion to Stardome Planetarium and Observatory - 19/09/2023 Coming off the busy Auckland roads the contrast between city lights and the pitch black in the Maungakiekie Domain was intense. No light - no stars. Heavy cloud cover obviously does not bode for a good night of star watching, however, the MOTAT Society was at Stardome to visit the planetarium where....

Please note the AGM has been moved from 6pm to 7pm and is being held at Cropper House.

📣 MOTAT Society visits Ruatuna - birthplace of NZ's first NZ-born Prime Minister📣
In addition to our Matakohe Kauri Museum exploration the MOTAT Society diverted a few kilometres to Ruatuna, the property where NZ's 21st Prime Minister (1925-1928) Gordon Coates was born and raised. Reputed to have been built from a single kauri tree in 1877 it has been modestly expanded over the proceeding years and was lived in right up until 2000. The content of the residence is a timeline of NZ living from pioneering to more recent times with original paintings by the Coate's sisters, to fistfuls of agricultural prize ribbons hanging en masse in the office.
Thanks so much to Mary from Heritage NZ/Pouhere Taonga for hosting us on such a windswept and wet Saturday afternoon. 🌍✨Photos courtesy of MOTAT Society Member Bruce Wild