The Identity and Heritage of Upper Hutt

At Upper Hutt City Council, we acknowledge our local history as a way of strengthening the bonds of our community. We use our Arts, Culture, and Heritage Strategy to promote who we are, what we do, and where we come from. Our unique heritage underpins our cultural identity. It’s something we have inherited from the past and want to leave for future generations.

Our City Libraries Heritage Team has been supporting the development of Peter O’Flaherty’s book, Akatarawa: A History of the Sawyers, Settlers and Schools, 1870s-1980s, as it helps fulfil these goals. The book contributes to the expression of Upper Hutt’s unique cultural identity, and Trust House funding means we can help move the book into the publication stage. Supporting the publication aligns with one of our Arts Culture and Heritage Strategy goals: protecting and conserving artefacts, artworks, records, physical locations and intangible assets like stories and memories. Making the stories and information accessible to a wider public connects residents to the history of not just the Akatarawa region but to Upper Hutt as a whole.

The book provides a valuable resource for researchers, schools, and both new and long-established residents and will inspire others to engage in research on other local history topics.