Echoes of Exchange - The Western Bay Museum

Echoes of Exchange includes interactive elements exploring a time before digital communication. This exhibition is particularly well-suited for educational visits, allowing students to step back into an era when communities like Katikati relied on the Post Office and Telephone Exchange to stay connected. Children today may struggle to imagine life without smartphones, but this exhibition will bring that history to life.

This exhibition reflects on the significance of the New Zealand Post Office as the lifeline for communities, conveying news of births, engagements, emergencies, and more through the trusted hands of postal workers. The post office served not only as a hub for mail collection and essential services but also social communications and shared stories.

Visitors are invited to explore the rich histories of these institutions that shaped community life, Echoes of Exchange serves as a reminder of how communication, connection, and community were once intricately intertwined.