MATARIKI STAR WALK

Matariki Star Walk

Take a journey through the stars of Matariki on our star walk. Discover the meaning of the stars and how to find them in the night sky.

Our Matariki Star Walk is a FREE activity located opposite Overland.

Open centre hours Monday 3 July - Sunday 16 July.

What is Matariki?

Ko Matariki kei runga, ko te tohu tēnā o te tau!

Matariki signals the Māori New Year. It is a time of renewal and celebration in New Zealand that begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster.

The Matariki star cluster appears in the night sky during mid-winter. The reappearance of Matariki brings the old lunar year to a close and marks the beginning of the new year.

Tohunga (Experts) looked to the Matariki star cluster to find out how abundant the upcoming year’s harvest would be. Bright, clear stars promised a warm and successful season. Hazy stars, however, warned of cold weather and poor crops.