Karangahake Heritage Museums
Explore outstanding and unique exhibitions with a visit to our Karangahake Heritage Museums.
The only displays of their kind in New Zealand, these museums are situated on our farm, within original farm buildings, creating an authentic experience of early New Zealand farm life, giving a glimpse into how it was to live and work at a rural farm in yesteryear. A must-see for all New Zealanders!
Our Museums & Their Exhibits
- Sheep Shed Museum: This restored working Sheepshed showcases the early pioneering days of the sheep industry. From handshearing to mechanised shearing, sheep breeds to sheep dogs, this museum has it all.
- Early NZ Milking Shed: Very few of NZ's early milking sheds remain. Beautifully restored, this shed helps trace the history of what has now become one of NZ's most important primary industry.
- Kauri Museum: Great stands of magnificent Kauri trees once covered the Coromandel. Our Kauri Museum tells the story of the early Kauri Bushmen and their dangerous and challenging work. Exhibits restored and displayed by award winning sculptor Tony Howse.
- Early Gold Display: The Karangahake area was the second to last Gold Rush in NZ. Goldminers came from around the world to goldpan up the streams and tributaries of our area. Our open air mining displays tell the story of the early gold panning days, which predated industrial mining in the Karangahake Gorge.
- Working Farm Tools Museum: One of our most popular museums, our fascinating and extensive display of the tools that were used to cultivate, build, grow and develop rural New Zealand to what it is today.
- Working Horses of New Zealand: Horses played an important part in early New Zealand history, and our display tells the contribution of horses to early colonial life in the Southern Coromandel.
- Vintage Honda NZ: Honda 4-Stroke became the new workhorse of rural New Zealand. Tough and reliable, these vintage machines, tools and memorabilia make a fascinating display.
Karangahake Native Bird Reserve
Karangahake Native Bird Reserve was a winner in the Environmental Category
in the inaugural 'Pride of New Zealand' Awards in 2014
Finish your visit to Bullswool Heritage Farm with a walk in this beautiful reserve, explore the area, learning about native New Zealand birds, trees and aquatic life. You will also get a sense for the fascinating history of the Karangahake Gorge’s first miners and Kauri bushmen.