News
Film Stories – Wairarapa College Farm
Wairarapa College Farm, adjacent to the Millennium Reserve on Pownall Street, is a hive of Agricultural and horticultural learning. Click here to see more.
Film Stories – Aratoi
Aratoi Wairarapa Museum of Art and History, located in Masterton, New Zealand, serves as a vibrant cultural hub dedicated to celebrating art, history, and the diverse stories of the Wairarapa region. Click here to see more.
Film Stories – Waiwaste
Waiwaste (part of the Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance) delivers a vital service to Masterton and the wider Wairarapa. Click here to see more.
Film Stories – Volunteer Highlight
Waiwaste Food Rescue has approximately 30 volunteers. Without the mahi of these people, organisations like Waiwaste would not be able to deliver their vital services. In New Zealand, around one third of the population have participated in voluntary service, whether that be in sports and recreation, community services, arts and culture, or emergency services.
Masterton Trust Lands Trust calls for community-minded candidates
Masterton’s oldest community-owned trust is seeking skilled, community-minded candidates to stand for election this October. The Trust will hold an information evening for potential candidates on Wednesday, 16 July, from 5.30 pm at its Chapel Street office. “We wanted to create an opportunity for interested people to learn more about the Trust, and invite prospective Trustees to stand for election,” says chair Christine Brewster. Masterton Trust Lands Trust (MTLT) is a unique community-owned...
MTLT support for community learning in new Masterton Library
Masterton Trust Lands Trust (MTLT) is pleased to announce a $250,000 grant to help fitout a new community classroom and community lounge in Masterton’s new library, scheduled to open in 2027. The vision for Masterton’s new library includes technology-rich community facilities that will enable groups to come together to ‘learn, create, and share.’ By providing modern, accessible and flexible multi-use areas. Masterton’s new library will cater to the ever-evolving learning needs of community...
Masterton Trust Lands Trust moves to Chapel Street
Masterton’s oldest community trust is on the move this week. Vacating its earthquake prone heritage building at 189 Queen Street, Trustees and staff will be settling into a modern refurbished office at 115 Chapel Street. “The former National Bank building at 189 Queen Street had served the Trust well for the past 28 years, but its earthquake prone status and heritage classification was the impetus for us to make a move,” explains the Trust’s general manager Andrew Croskery. “It’s great to have...
Poto College House Scholarship Launched
As the charitable trust that once operated the Wairarapa College hostel winds down, it leaves behind a lasting educational legacy through a new agricultural scholarship.
Waiwaste Food Rescue – MTLT Not-For-Profit Award Winner
WaiWaste Food Rescue was the 2024 Masterton Trust Lands Trust Not-For-Profit award winner at the Wairarapa Awards.
Mural makeover for 115 Chapel Street
Changes are afoot at 115 Chapel Street as a new artwork begins to emerge.
Revealed through the brush strokes of artist Lotte Hawley who is painting up a storm this week, a captivating new mural is coming to life, adorning 115 Chapel Street. Inspired by the elements – earth, sea and sky – the new artwork highlights distinctive Wairarapa scenes, including our world-famous clear night sky, to capture the spirit of Masterton.
Career Change Scholarship – From builder to architect
After 15 years as a builder, Jason Jetson has taken the first step in realising a life-long dream of becoming an architect.With three children under six, Jason enrolled at Victoria University studying towards a Bachelor of Architectural Studies with the goal of continuing to a Masters of Architecture. MTLT awarded Jason a $2,000 Career Change Scholarship to help him achieve his goals. Featured picture: Trustee Bex Johnson with Jason and his three children.
Masterton Trust Lands Trust announces positive annual result for 2023/24
Masterton Trust Lands Trust (MTLT) reflected on a year of sound financial performance at its annual general meeting yesterday. MTLT chair Christine Brewster presented the 2024 Annual Report noting the Trust’s financial resilience in a year of challenging economic conditions. “We recognise the past year has been a particularly difficult one for some of our tenants,” she noted. Overall, the Trust’s debt reduced by $500,000 supporting a marginal improvement in equity to almost $86 million. Total...
Trust grants funding to exceed $2M for the first time
Masterton Trust Lands Trust (MTLT) has doubled its annual grants funding this year to exceed $2 million for the first time. This signals the Trust’s ongoing commitment to grow grants funding in perpetuity, in line with changes to population and the consumer price index. For the last decade, MTLT grants funding has averaged around $1 million annually. More recently, during its 150th year in 2022, grants climbed to $1.5 million. This year, annual grants funding will reach $2.274 million. “This...
$10,000 for the iconic golden shears
The Golden Shears International Shearing Championship Society Inc. received a grant of $10,000 for the 2024 Golden Shears. This provided for educational programmes including school visits by around 800 children to learn about shearing and the wool industry. The Trust’s grant helped to fund branded shirts for competitors and volunteers. It also enabled community participation, with free entry for the public on opening night. Read more about our 2023/24 grants in the 2024 Annual Report here.
First MTLT Humanities Scholarship Awarded
Congratulations to Rebecca Hamlyn. Rebecca is the first to be awarded the MTLT Humanities Scholarship. For school leavers, we created this new scholarship of $3,000 over three years. Available to a top-performing NCEA Level 3 student going on to study a humanities-related subject at tertiary level, scholars are nominated by the Wairarapa Secondary Principals’ Association. Rebecca is studying History, Classics and English at Victoria University. Photo caption: Christine Brewster (Board Chair)...