What are the opening hours?

Monday 10am - 4pm Thursday 10am - 4pm Friday 10am - 4pm Saturday 10am - 4pm Sunday 10am - 4pm

Firth Tower Reserve and Museum

Name: Firth Tower Reserve and Museum
Address: 266a Tower Road, Matamata, 3471, NZ
Telephone: +6478888369
Price range: $

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Firth Tower Reserve and Museum

Reserve and museum, motorhome stopover, wedding venue. Welcoming groups and schools. Based on the Hauraki Rail Trail, near Matamata, Waikato, New Zealand.

The purpose of our page is to:
- provide you with Firth Tower's latest news and event information
- get your opinion on various topics relating to Firth Tower activities
- answer any questions you may have about Firth Tower services

We’ll respond to your query as soon as we can but won’t always be able to get back to you right away. For detailed information about Firth Tower Reserve and

Museum please visit www.firthtower.co.nz. We welcome your comments and encourage discussion. We ask that you're polite and respectful with your comments and views. We reserve the right to remove comments that are disrespectful, abusive or considered spam. Firth Tower Reserve and Museum page must not be used for electioneering purposes. Any post, comment or tag - positive or negative - made by any individual specifically relating to their own - or someone else's – nomination, intention to run for Council or election campaign, will be removed immediately.

06/08/2025

Planning is well under way for our next event here at Firth Tower Reserve and Museum. Looking Back: WW2 comes to Firth Tower will take place from 10am - 3pm September 20th, 2025. A family day not to be missed. More details to come a little closer to the time. Watch this space and mark the day in your diary!

04/08/2025

August is family history month in New Zealand. A couple of years back we had the pleasure of Ian and Debbie McCaw come and visit here at Firth Tower. Ian is the Great, Great nephew of John McCaw who lived in the homestead here at the Firth Estate from 1895. Ian and Debbie enjoyed finding out more about their family history here at the Firth Tower Museum and have even travelled to Scotland in the United Kingdom to find out where their story began. Check out John McCaw’s story here https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/3m2/mccaw-john

We also have many families visit us who have close links to the farmers who purchased their farms when the Firth Estate got subdivided in 1904.

Photo 1, Matamata Historical Society - The McCaw family on the steps of the Firth Estate homestead.
Photo 2 - Ian and Debbie McCaw on the steps of the same homestead, here at Firth Tower Reserve and Museum

Do you have a personal link to the Firth Estate?

01/08/2025

Fun Fact Friday! An unfortunate event took place here at the Firth estate in 1902. A fire took hold in the old homestead, which at the time was attached to the tower. The homestead was burnt to the ground while the inside of the tower was gutted. The McCaw family managed to escape the homestead, and a brave farm worker entered the burning tower to rescue the family of cats who lived there. Unfortunately, the Tower itself remains closed while it awaits earthquake strengthening work, but the rest of the museum is open for your enjoyment. https://firthtower.co.nz/

📷 Number 2 - Matamata Historical Society

30/07/2025

Have some fun in our dress up area and make your own Victorian/Edwardian portraits 📷😁. Available in the McCaw Homestead, Thursday through Monday, 10am till 4pm. Usual admission fees apply.
https://firthtower.co.nz/

27/07/2025

Last chance this week to experience our limited exhibition here at Firth Tower! The works of Anne De Silva. The exhibition will run till the end of July in the McCaw Homestead. Usual admission fees apply. Check our website for admission fees, building/toilet closures and opening times. Group and family concessions are available. https://www.firthtower.co.nz/

25/07/2025

The McCaw homestead verandah. A perfect spot for your morning tea or picnic lunch. Even on a winter day our verandah captures the low-lying sunshine, keeping you warm while you enjoy some downtime.
The verandah can be enjoyed anytime as our reserve is open 7 days a week.

Please note that the public toilet in the carpark will remain closed until the end of July for refurbishment. A Portaloo will be available during this time.

https://www.firthtower.co.nz/

Tablecloths and flowers are not standard on our verandah. Please feel free to bring your own!

23/07/2025

Wind Back Wednesday! Have you had a look down the well at the back of the McCaw Homestead? This well was dug by hand in the early 1900's by Robert Williamson, a worker on the Matamata estate. It is 14m deep and bricked from top to bottom! ⛏💪

21/07/2025

The Matamata Historical Society annual book fair is a charity fundraising event held over 4 days in October at the Matamata Memorial Centre. All books are pre loved and donated to the Society. You’ll find DVD's, jigsaw puzzles plus adult and children's books for sale. The book fair is the fundraiser for the Historical Society and helps with the updating of current displays or the creation and installation of new displays at the Firth Tower Museum. The next sale will take place 8th - 11th October 2025. All of the details can be found here https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2025/matamata-historical-society-annual-book-fair/matamata. Preloved books can be donated at any time of the year and Firth Tower Museum is a collection point for donated items. You can drop off any donations during our operational hours📚 Check out the times on our website https://www.firthtower.co.nz/

15/07/2025

Vintage heaven 😍. Car club meet ups are a popular pastime. Just look at some of the interesting vehicles parked up here at the Firth Tower estate over the years! Message us or visit our website to book your car club meetup. https://firthtower.co.nz/
🚘🚙🛻

13/07/2025

Time for school! Ahh the holidays have come to an end. As all of you wonderful teachers head back to school, now is the time to plan your term 4 trip to Firth Tower. Come and learn about your history in a fun, hands on and interactive way. Options to do your own thing or have our costumed staff facilitate the activities. Details on our website https://firthtower.co.nz/. We can customise your day around you. Get in touch to see how we can help.

Address

266a Tower Road
Matamata
3471

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 4pm
Thursday	10am - 4pm
Friday	10am - 4pm
Saturday	10am - 4pm
Sunday	10am - 4pm

Telephone

+6478888369

Website

https://www.firthtower.co.nz/

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