Trelissick Park Group: Memorials

Trelissick Park has a number of planted trees, benches, and a track in memory and recognition of volunteers and others. This page has information on some of these. Scroll down or click the links below to see the details.

TPG memorial grove plantings
51 mosque victims memorials
Memorial bench for Oser Galler
Recognition bench for Peter Reimann
Recognition track for Frances Lee

TPG memorial grove plantings

Heritage trees have been planted in a memorial grove in memory of a few of the many volunteers who have worked for Trelissick Park. The memorial grove is downstream of bridge 5 in the Korimako Stream valley, at a grassy patch just upstream from the entry to the actual Ngaio Gorge. We have planted memorial trees for:

Stan Pillar
Dorothy (Dot) Catchpole
Mike Lear
Malcolm McDonald
Olaf John
Dorothy Douglass
Gottfried Theiler

Stan Pillar

Tōtara planted 12 July 2025.

Stan reliably opened and prepared the Onslow Historical Society (OHS) room at the old Khandallah Automatic Telephone Exchange building for our meetings, and then participated in them on behalf of OHS.

Dorothy (Dot) Catchpole

Kahikatea planted 21 September 2024.

Dot and her husband Dave were dedicated working bee regulars for many years. Always cheerful, helpful and especially hard working in their efforts to restore Trelissick Park.

Mike Lear

Kahikatea planted 7 September 2024.

Mike was a dedicated hard-working volunteer at working bees for a decade, always cheerful and helpful to others.

Malcolm McDonald

Tawa planted 28 August 2022.

Malcolm was our hard-working and meticulous secretary until late 2008. He then transformed the gorse-covered slope below Trelissick Crescent to a beautiful native forest and organised the annual Sea Week beach clean-up at the Kaiwharawhara Stream estuary.

Olaf John

Tītoki planted 16 July 2022.

Olaf was our Wellington Botanical Society representative for many years. We are indebted to Olaf for his useful information and guidance – a botanical oracle.

Dorothy Douglass

Miro planted 9 July 2022.

Dorothy represented Highland Park (HPPA) for many years and advocated for park access from Oban Street. She was also a working bee regular, bringing delicious blueberry muffins and other refreshments.

Gottfried Theiler

Pukatea planted 24 June 2022.

Friedl was an enthusiastic working bee regular from the early 2000s. Always a helpful and cheerful presence, with a wide variety of interests.

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51 mosque victims memorials

In memory of the 51 victims at the mosque shootings in Christchurch, 15 March 2019, 51 iconic tree species have been planted by The Wellington Interfaith Council. The Sathya Sai Service Organisation organised the planting, in conjunction with TPG.

In a couple of centuries, this site near the Kaiwharawhara Stream will be transformed to a grove of kahikatea, which grow to 40 metres, interspersed with nīkau, cabbage tree, lancewood, pukatea, mīro and tītoki.

51 mosque victims memorial planting site

A site for reflection has been planted in memory of the 51 victims of the Christchurch mosque shooting. The site is on the Wadestown bank of the Kaiwharawhara Stream, downstream from the Hanover track bridge.

51 mosque victims memorial bench

Across the valley from the memorial planting site is a memorial bench for the 51 victims of the Christchurch mosque shooting. The bench is on the way down to the Kaiwharawhara Stream from Trelissick Crescent.

There was a well attended dedication ceremony on 14 March 2021 organised by the Wellington Interfaith Council. The plaque reads:

Whāia te iti kahurangi, ki te tūhoe koe me he maunga teitei.
In fond memory of our 51 whānau martyred in Christchurch on 15 March 2019.
Wellington Interfaith Council 15 March 2020

Invite to unveiling of 51 memorial bench

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Oser (Ojzer) Galler memorial bench

In memory of Oser Galler and Chiune Sugihara.

Oser Galler, from Poland, owed his life to Chiune Sugihara, the Japanese Vice-Consul in Lithuania, in the early days of World War 2. The plaque reads:

Oser Galler - died 14/2/78
Escaped Lithuania in 1940 thanks to the courage
of the Japanese Vice-Consul Chiune Sugihara.

For more information see Gorge Gazette November 2015

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Peter Reimann bench

Peter Reimann was the chair of the Trelissick Park Group for 18 years. This bench recognizes the many direct ways he contributed to Trelissick Park over many years.

The bench is located where the Forest Remnant Track joins the main Kaiwharawhara stream-side track. The funds for this bench came from the Wellington City Council and some members of the Trelissick Park Group. The plaque on his bench reads:

PETER REIMANN
Trelissick Park Group Chairman
2006 - 2024

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Frances Lee Track

Frances Lee initiated the Trelissick Park Group in 1991 for restoration of the park and has been a strong motivating force in the group over many subsequent years.

Councillor Andy Foster suggested that a track in the park should be named after Frances Lee. So, in 2014, the track leading off the Northern Walkway (below Trelissick Crescent) down to just upstream of bridge 4 was named The Frances Lee Track, with a plaque at each end.

It is a well used track with quick access to the Koromiko Stream valley, through well-established and attractive bush. There is also historical interest, as the upper part appears to follow an old benched track. (Photos taken on Christmas Day 2014.)

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