Masonic Centre
Wansbeck Street
The section on which this Hall stands was purchased for the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds from John Mainland.
In 1876, tenders were called for the erection of a hall. Thomas Glass was the architect. The tender accepted was that of Brother H.B. Hook, of three hundred and forty pounds for mason's work, and carpenters work by Lambert and Moore of two hundred and fifty three pounds and ten shillings.
Past Master Brother Greenfield of Lodge of Waitaki, laid the foundation stone on 27 June 1876.
The first cost of the property and main building when it was finished, stood at just about nine hundred and twenty five pounds, but did not include the cost of the supper room which was erected some years later. Brother David Miller, who was the Right Worshipful Master of Lodge Oamaru Kilwinning, was instrumental in getting this adjunct to the hall built. David Miller was a contractor, and joined Lodge Oamaru Kilwinning in 1870. He occupied the Chair of King Solomon in 1883 and again in 1885.
At a meeting of Lodge of Waitaki on 9 February 1927 a committee consisting of the Worshipful Masters of the three Lodges, together with Worshipful Brothers Forrester and Crawshaw, to consider renovations and alterations to the hall. Later, Lodge Oamaru Kilwinning suggested the possibility of a new hall being built. Master Masons approved of the action of the building committee in preparing plans and specifications, and the calling of tenders was approved on 12 December 1932.
Right Worshipful Brother John Meggett Forrester was the architect, and the lowest tender for the erection of the new hall was that of Worshipful Brother Alex Wilson. The tender price was two thousand, two hundred and eighty two pounds, eight shillings and sixpence, and the work was commenced on 15 December 1932.
Worshipful Brother A. Mackay, Past Grand Steward, laid the foundation stone on 11 January 1933, and the work was completed in May 1933.
The sub-contractors were: Plasterer - Bro. C. Ashton: Electrician - Bro. Bruce Stevens: Painter - Bro. J. Colenso: Engineering; North Otago Engineering Co. - Bro. D. McPhail: Fibrous Plasterer; Wardrop's Fibrous Plasterers - Bro. Wardrop: Mason - Lachlan Macrae: Plumber - Bro. Millar: Carpenter work - Bro. Alex Wilson:
Acknowledgement of extracts from Booklet "Centennial of Lodge of Waitaki No. 11" and from the personal memoirs of Alex Wilson.
Bruce Allan
Trust History
This building was gifted to the Trust in 2026 by the members of the Masonic Lodge.
Brief History of Masonic Buildings
in Oamaru
The history of Masonic buildings in Oamaru dates back to 1866, when the first lodge building was designed by noted Dunedin architect R. A. Lawson as part of the Star and Garter Hotel on Itchen Street. The site itself had early origins as one of Oamaru’s first accommodation houses, established by H.C. Hertslet in 1858 and later developed into the Star and Garter under William Jones. By the mid-1860s, the Loyal Oamaru Masonic Lodge had purchased the property and formed the Masonic Hall Company to deliver a purpose-built lodge within a larger hotel complex. Lawson’s design incorporated a highly decorative Victorian Italianate façade, with the lodge occupying the entire upper floor above the hotel operations, which included dining rooms, a billiard room, parlours and associated service spaces. The first stage, constructed by Macdonald and Serle for £1,450, was completed in 1867 and featured a classically detailed façade with Corinthian pilasters and a richly ornamented interior lodge room.
In 1876, the Lodge relocated to Wansbeck Street, purchasing the site for £250 from John Mainland. A purpose-built hall was completed that year at a cost of £925 to a design by architect T. Glass, with masonry by H.B. Hook and carpentry by Lambert and Moore. The foundation stone was laid on 27 June 1876 (150 this June) by Past Master Brother Greenfield of the Lodge of Waitaki. The original building included a main lodge room, with a supper room added later through the efforts of Brother David Miller,. This Victorian hall remains, retaining its original triple-bay façade, now concealed from street view.
By the late 1920s, increasing membership and the need for modern facilities led to plans for a new hall. In 1932, following agreement between the local lodges, architect John Megget Forrester designed a striking new Art Deco building, reflecting the architectural shift of the period. Built by Worshipful Brother Alex Wilson, the new hall was completed in 1933 at a cost of £2,080. The building features a bold geometric façade facing Wansbeck Street, with strong vertical emphasis and simplified classical references typical of the Art Deco style. Internally, it was designed to accommodate larger ceremonial spaces, improved circulation, and more functional rooms for lodge activities.
The Lodge gifted the land and buildings to the Trust to ensure their continued community use and long-term care. The Masonic Lodge still calls the building home; however, responsibility for its care and management now rests with the Trust.
This is a remarkable and generous gift, and it reinforces the core role and responsibility of the Trust as guardian of our built heritage, ensuring these significant buildings are protected for future generations.
Many towns such as Timaru, Waimate, and Temuka have lost their lodge buildings to private developers, along with the history associated with those sites. The Lodge in Oamaru has taken a different approach, ensuring that this cannot happen here. As a result, this building, along with its outstanding façades and interiors and contents, will be carefully protected and preserved for the future.