Waitaki Tartan to hang in Forrester Gallery atrium

Published on 27 March 2026

As the finishing touches are put on the Forrester Gallery extension, there’ll be a local addition to the collection. Thanks to Naylor Love the McLean and Co Waitaki, tartan, woven on 19th century looms at their weaving shed on South Hill Oamaru, will be hanging in the atrium connecting the new building to the original Bank of New South Wales building.

Sue Mclean, showing Naylor Love’s project manager around the weaving shed, said: “We’ve been involved in the Forrester for the past thirty years, and it hasn’t sunk in that Naylor Love have purchased the first 20 metres ever woven to go into the Forrester Gallery collection. It’s so special. We dreamt about creating a local tartan, but the process has taken time.

It is inspired by the colours of the Waitaki district, and Sister Mary Horn – a friend of ours – had a show in 2007 at the Forrester, ‘Pilgrimage’, and the programme had a painting on the front with a dark green in – and that has been included in the tartan.”

Keegan Murphy, Naylor Love Project Manager, says: “Naylor Love have been lucky to be a part of building the gallery, it’s such an important space for the community. When we heard about The Waitaki Tartan and its story, we thought it would be great to support the gallery and help keep a piece of that work there. It felt like a way to give back and be part of something creative that will last for the community.

I’m excited for the community to experience the space itself the design, the natural light flooding into the atrium as you walk in from the existing building, and how the artworks are displayed. And I think The Waitaki Tartan will be a real highlight something that tells a story, connects people, and reflects local craft.”

McLean and Co’s Rod and Sue McLean weave tartan at their weaving shed in Oamaru, using one of the only 19th century looms of its type still weaving tartan in the world. You can visit their website here: Weaving beautiful NZ wool textiles for you to treasure.

The Forrester Gallery is due to reopen on Monday April 20 2026 at 1:30pm, following the addition of the extension including additional gallery space, an education room and a climate controlled storage for the collection.

You can watch a short video about the tartan, here.

ENDS

media@waitaki.govt.nz