Planes, Trains & Automobiles

The Kāpiti Coast has a rich heritage and some great destinations in which to explore the history of New Zealand. Get your culture fix of wings and wheels and find out why the Coast is so special.

Connecting Kiwis is something dear to the hearts of everyone at Air Chathams, and there is no better place to see how it’s been done for generations in New Zealand than the Kāpiti Coast. From the private car – all chrome, fins and glamour or humble utilitarianism – to the power of steam and the romance of flight, the Kāpiti Coast has it all. And it all makes for a great getaway.

John Switzer on completing the 50th Anniversary of Will Scotland’s flight from Invercargill to Gore in 1914 (Image Stu Brown).

As an Air Chathams passenger you’ll appreciate just how far air travel has come. Our fleet can get you where you want to go safely, comfortably and swiftly – complete with a Tim Tam – but it wasn’t always that way when you took to the skies. Early aviation in New Zealand was frequently ad hoc and an adventure, but an entire industry was soon built by very passionate Kiwis and the current display at the Kāpiti Aviation Museum – Airlines of New Zealand – considers the history of air travel in a Kiwi context. The exhibit traces developments in the aircraft New Zealand airlines have used throughout the twentieth century and into the twenty-first, and looks extensively at New Zealand’s changing air carriers from the New Zealand National Airways Corporation to Tasman Empire Airways Limited and Air New Zealand. This is a small museum run by enthusiastic amateurs, but it has been put together with passion and has some intriguing displays – where else can you see the propeller used on Bluebird, the plane that took J.W.H Scotland from Gore to Invercargill on the first cross country flight in New Zealand? The museum is only open from 10am to 4pm on Sundays, but you can also visit by special appointment.

Rolling stock large and small are to be found in Kāpiti.

Long before we had an aviation industry however, it was rail that kept our regional centres and coasts connected. And it wasn’t just long-haul trains; trams were a tried and true means of getting around our cities, and just up the road from Paraparaumu in Paekākāriki you can find trainspotter heaven.

Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS, Southward Car Museum

The Wellington Tramway Museum operates a vintage tram service from the McKays Crossing entrance, travelling 1.85 kms to Whareroa Beach and playground area. These are the trams that once served the public of Wellington - and that many wish would return! – and as the Museum is in Queen Elizabeth Park there is plenty to do.

But if you’re looking for something with a bit more urge, then Steam Incorporated, also in Paekākāriki, is just the ticket. A dedicated team of enthusiasts here have been working to preserve New Zealand’s locomotive history since the 1970s and today Steam Incorporated boasts an admirable collection of steam trains as well as a few diesels to boot. You can ride

the Daffodil Express or Marlborough Flyer, or even charter a train, for the complete golden age of steam experience while rolling through some great Kāpiti countryside. And while you’re in the neighbourhood the Paekākāriki Rail and Heritage Museum is yet another local must see for trainspotters, but it also has a huge collection of items relating to local iwi and the United States Marines that were stationed in the area during the Second World War.

For many people, the undoubted start of the Kāpiti Coast show will be Southward Car Museum, a world-class collection of some truly stunning automobiles.

Southward Car Museum

Sir Len Southward, founder of the collection, started collecting cars in 1956 when he purchased a Ford Model T for 40 pounds. That T is still in the collection, together with examples of automobiles from just about every era and manufacturer. Rarities include Bugatti racers, a 1934 Cadillac owned by Marlene Dietrich, and an 1895 Benz Velo, but for many people the thrill of the museum is the ‘We had one of those!’ moments when you recognise an old family friend in the more run of the mill cars on display. And for the less petrol head members of the family there is a great café and lovely park-like grounds to enjoy.

“Kāpiti is a wonderful place to experience and celebrate New Zealand’s heritage,” says Rosie Salas, Arts, Museums and Heritage Advisor at Kāpiti Coast District Council.

“You can take a trip, literally, back in time by riding historic trams and trains, and visit the sites where rail first made its way up the Coast. You can also learn about Kāpiti’s rich and important Māori, colonial, and art history at the Kāpiti Coast Museum and Mahara Gallery in Waikanae, and the Ōtaki Museum.”

And that is one of the great things about Kāpiti – there really is something for everyone.