Waitekohe School

Opened in 1880, Waitekohe School was the third school established following the arrival of European settlers in Katikati in 1875. More than a century later, the historic building still stands on the corner of State Highway 2 and Walker Road East, south of Katikati, where it has been carefully renovated and converted into a private residence.

As Katikati Open-Air Art’s very first mural, Waitekohe School holds a special place in the town’s artistic and cultural heritage. Painted from a photograph taken in 1914, the mural captures a moment in time and preserves the stories of the children and teacher who once gathered there.

When the mural was unveiled in April 1991, three of the pupils featured in the original photograph were still alive. One of them, Mary Ann Johnston, was thrilled to instantly recognise herself among the students, creating a direct and moving connection between the artwork and the people it commemorates.

The teacher pictured is Josh Leech, the son of original Katikati settlers. Leech had himself attended Katikati’s No. 2 School, and surviving school reports from 1892, 1893, and 1894 provide an intriguing glimpse into his early years. His behaviour was consistently rated as good, his academic performance ranged from good to excellent, yet his attendance was noted as very irregular. The reason was understandable: Josh lived several miles away on Lindemann Road and faced a long journey to school along rough, often muddy tracks, attending little more than half the time.

Today, the mural serves not only as a tribute to one of the district’s earliest schools but also as a celebration of the determination, resilience, and pioneering spirit of Katikati’s early community. Through the faces of its pupils and teacher, it tells a story that continues to resonate more than a century later.

Artist: Irene Tuscia Falconer from Katikati, Repainted – 2000 & 2009
Year: 1991/2000/2009
Medium: Acrylic on Block Wall
Size: 34 sq m.
Sponsored By: Northern Regional Arts Council