Garrison HQ Restoration

The Garrison Society, established in 2012 is Marlborough’s Largest Home Front & Military Historical Preservation Society. With members spanning the country from Auckland to Wanaka and as far afield as Australia, the region will soon become a focal point for a dedicated restoration team.

We specialize in the collection, preservation and display of home front and militaria, providing educational living history displays encompasing the following areas:

Home Front, Civil Defence, Air Raid Wardens, Other uniformed services from the WWII era, Air Force, Navy, Army, Military Vehicle Collectors, Military Modelers, Merchant Marine, Period Uniforms and clothing, Communications Equipment, Historical Archives Military displays from any era and any other military related interest is always welcome.

We welcome any persons with a dedicated interest in a part of military history no matter how small. Our membership extends from Vehicle Collectors, Uniform Collectors, Comms Enthusiasts, Diorama and Set Makers through to Model Makers, Re-enactors, Weapons Collectors and Photographers. If you have an interest please contact us and share our dream of keeping this history alive for future generations.

We cater for uniformed and non-uniformed members and also have a family membership option. Camping trips and social gatherings are a big part or our environment along with public displays, airshows and commemoration events.

The Garrison Society Inc are now the Custodial Managers for the former Air Training Corps site at Omaka. This site will be restored too much of its former glory and become New Zealand’s only working WWII Military Camp. We have a lot of work ahead of us to make our dream become a reality, and need to raise funds to acheive this dream.

Once up and running the Camp will house a museum wing, operational communications room, workshop, library, research facility, period offices, formal functions lounge and kitchen. The grounds will be home to military huts, replica shelters, guard house, memorial area, parade ground and landscaping. Military events and shows will be able to be held on the grounds and areas for pitching tents and parking vehicles will be made part of the camp layout.

As much as possible we endeavour to make a living history experience like no other in the country.

The Garrison “Phantom Camp” will become National Head Quarters for our steadily growing Society.

Due to the nature of the facility, it will also be made available as a valuable resource in the event of a civil emergency.