Queenstown War Memorial

The War Memorial Gates commemorate Wakatipu district residents who served in the First and Second World Wars. Our Projects & Interiors team strengthened the 1922 structure to 80% NBS by excavating and exposing the foundations, installing additional reinforcement, increasing the foundation area, reinforcing the walls and bowl, then replastering and painting.

A key challenge was balancing seismic performance with heritage conservation, with the historic materials retained wherever possible. Close coordination between the structural engineer, heritage consultant, client and construction team ensured that the structural upgrades didn’t compromise the heritage value of the memorial.

The memorial is in a prominent location on Queenstown’s waterfront, with careful planning and site management required to work around the public. We even managed to temporarily reopen the arch for the Queenstown Marathon half-way through the project, allowing runners to safely pass through the landmark.

The completed project improves the resilience of an important community asset while retaining its historic fabric and character.