January 9, 2026
Old places, new angles - that’s the target theme for photographers entering the South and Mid Canterbury photo competition.
Run by Heritage New Zealand (HNZ) Pouhere Taonga and Rokowhiria, Ashburton Art Gallery, the competition asks people to capture heritage places around Mid and South Canterbury.
HNZ Area Manager for Canterbury/West Coast Arlene Baird said there were plenty of photo subjects to choose from in the area.
“The Mid and South Canterbury regions are bursting with amazing heritage places,” she said.
“We want to inspire people to learn about their local history and gain a better appreciation of the wealth of heritage in this part of the country.
“This photo competition is a great opportunity for us to collect images of these places through the public’s eyes.”
According to the HNZ website, there are 39 heritage places in the Ashburton District: 18 in Ashburton, six at Longbeach, and others scattered around the area.
The judges will be looking for photographs of listed heritage places that reveal a new angle of a familiar place.
Entries will be on display at the Art Gallery between March and May.
“Rokowhiria is a place where art, history, stories and community come together, and this competition celebrates all these values,” director Shirin Khosraviani said.
“There are many passionate and talented photographers in our community, and this competition allows us to support their practice and professional development.”
The winner gets a stargazing experience in the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, and runner up prizes include Mt Hutt sightseeing passes and a few nights’ stay in the Peel Forest campground cabin.
To find a heritage place, head to heritage.org.nz/places and select the Canterbury Region and Ashburton District.
Entries close on February 28.
Old places, new angles - that’s the target theme for photographers entering the South and Mid Canterbury photo competition.
Run by Heritage New Zealand (HNZ) Pouhere Taonga and Rokowhiria, Ashburton Art Gallery, the competition asks people to capture heritage places around Mid and South Canterbury.
HNZ Area Manager for Canterbury/West Coast Arlene Baird said there were plenty of photo subjects to choose from in the area.
“The Mid and South Canterbury regions are bursting with amazing heritage places,” she said.
“We want to inspire people to learn about their local history and gain a better appreciation of the wealth of heritage in this part of the country.
“This photo competition is a great opportunity for us to collect images of these places through the public’s eyes.”
According to the HNZ website, there are 39 heritage places in the Ashburton District: 18 in Ashburton, six at Longbeach, and others scattered around the area.
The judges will be looking for photographs of listed heritage places that reveal a new angle of a familiar place.
Entries will be on display at the Art Gallery between March and May.
“Rokowhiria is a place where art, history, stories and community come together, and this competition celebrates all these values,” director Shirin Khosraviani said.
“There are many passionate and talented photographers in our community, and this competition allows us to support their practice and professional development.”
The winner gets a stargazing experience in the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, and runner up prizes include Mt Hutt sightseeing passes and a few nights’ stay in the Peel Forest campground cabin.
To find a heritage place, head to heritage.org.nz/places and select the Canterbury Region and Ashburton District.
Entries close on February 28.
