About The Trust
Friedensreich Hundertwasser, an Austrian-born artist and architect, purchased land in the Bay of Islands, NZ in 1976 and from then on he regularly spent part of the year on his property where he lived a life in harmony with nature. It is here that he designed the world-famous Hundertwasser Toilets located on the main street (SH1) of Kawakawa. The building was officially opened in 1999, two months before his passing.
The Kawakawa Hundertwasser Toilets are Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s last ever building made with his hands and his only building in the Southern Hemisphere.
To celebrate and pay homage to Hundertwasser’s life and contribution to Kawakawa, a passionate community group established the Kawakawa Hundertwasser Memorial Park Charitable Trust (KHPCT) in December 2009. Its aim is to preserve the memories and legacy of Hundertwasser’s contribution to Kawakawa.
The Trust also act as guardian of the Hundertwasser toilets and created the Kawakawa Hundertwasser Park to the rear of the Toilets in 2013.
The KHPCT Trustees have partnered with tangata whenua and the Kawakawa and Far North community to realise the dream for a Memorial Centre and Gallery in honour of their friend.
Hundertwasser painting the model he designed and built for the now world famous Hundertwasser toilets in Kawakawa. Opened December 10 1999, the Toilets are the only building Hundertwasser made in the Southern hemisphere, and his last building before he passed in 2000.
Project Team at the signing of the Project Partnership Group MOU, 26 August 2017 – from left front: KHPCT Trustee Johnson Davis, KHPCT Chair Noma Shepherd, BOI Community Board Member Kelly Stratford, KHPCT Trustee Shirley Bradshaw. From right back row: KHPCT Trustee Sue Henare, Architectural Designer Pip Bolton, NRC Councillor Justin Blaikie, Kawakawa Business & Community Association rep Dianne Te Nana, FNDC Deputy Mayor Tania McInnes, Te Runanga O Ngati Hine Deputy Chair Pita Tipene, KHPCT Trustee Isobelle Cherrington, FNHL CEO Andy Nock, Project Facilitator Laurell Pratt.
Project Partners
Te Hononga Hundertwasser Memorial Park is a community-led project that is only made possible by working collaboratively with our community and funders.
The Kawakawa Hundertwasser Memorial Park Charitable Trust are grateful for the support from:
- Far North Holdings Limited
- Te Runanga O Ngati Hine
- Kawakawa Business & Community Association
- Bay of Islands Whangaroa Community Board
- Northland Regional Council
- Far North District Council
Sponsors & Funders
With thanks to the following project funders:
- Provincial Growth Fund (MBIE)
- Lottery Environment & Heritage Fund
- Lottery Community Facilities Fund
- Foundation North
- Far North Holdings Limited
- Northland Regional Council
- Far North District Council
- Lions Foundation
- Pub Charity
- Bay of Islands Whangaroa Community Board
Northland Regional Council Chairman Bill Shepherd and Far North District Council Mayor John Carter unveil the project sign onsite in the Kawakawa Hundertwasser Park (August 2017, signing of the Project Partnership MOU)
Local artists onsite after a day developing the cultural korero for the centre.