Golden Bay Machinery & Early Settlers Museum

What to do on a rainy day? Check for museums! (As museums are usually really worth visiting in NZ.)

We didn’t arrive with high expectations on that one. From the roadside you can just see a bunch of rusty bits and pieces. It turned out to be an unattended museum with entry by koha (donations), well maintained by the locals of Golden Bay. Plenty of old cars and trucks and even some historical goldmining equipment to view.

The most scary things are actually the warranty of fitness labels on these rusty vehicles. They indicated that many of the trucks were still in use just a few years ago!

The day starts with quite heavy rain
The day starts with quite heavy rain that creates interesting mist on top of our car
Telephone switch board, last used 1982!
Telephone switch board, last used 1982!
The last owner left their trousers in the truck
The last owner left their trousers in the truck
A only-god-knows-what-it-is machine
A only-god-knows-what-it-is machine
Old bottles
Old bottles
Obviously art
Obviously art
Somehow sad to watch these guys rusting away
Somehow sad to watch these guys rusting away
That truck was still in use 10 years ago!
That truck was still in use 7 years ago!
Real rust, no stylish retro effect ;)
Real rust, no stylish retro effect ;)
A burnt-down prison cell
A burnt-down prison cell
You can spend hours there exploring 'things'
You can spend hours there exploring ‘things’
A funny mix of utils of many past decades
A funny mix of utils of many past decades
Ancient tractor (or what's left)
Ancient tractor (or what’s left)