Up the coast. That’s where I’m from.

Up the coast. That’s where I’m going.

Up The Coast is an exhibition that looks at some of the lesser known images in the Tairāwhiti Museum photographic collection.

The methods used to travel up the coast, from waka to coastal steamers, reflect the development of the area. Rivers and ports dictated where townships were established. Some such as Reporua and Tūpāroa have experienced significant population decline. Port Awanui has all but disappeared.

A coastal coach route was established, travelling often on the sand and rocks. Bridle tracks meandered narrowly to inland locations. A circuit road, Highway 35, eventually reduced the need for many of the wharfs. However, this route is precarious, placed over young, moving land and running over frequently flooded rivers.

Those that have made it up the coast to live or visit have found a unique part of Aotearoa/New Zealand. The photographs within this exhibition showcase some of that uniqueness.