The long-time guardian of Tauranga’s most treasured historic site, Andrew Gregg, has received this year’s Tauranga Centennial Heritage Award – an honour he said came as both a surprise and a moment for reflection.
The award was presented at the Tauranga Historical Society meeting at Watkins House on February 1, to recognise Gregg’s decade-long contribution as manager of The Elms | Te Papa Tauranga.
“It was a lovely surprise, and a great honour,” Gregg said. “After sitting with it for a bit, it really prompted reflection on the last 10 years – which have been immensely rewarding, professionally and personally.”
The mission house at The Elms | Te Papa Tauranga. Photo / Jo Jones
Tauranga Historic Society president Julie Green said the Centennial Heritage Award was established by Tauranga City Council and the society in 1983 and recognises contributions to the preservation or protection of the history of Tauranga.
“We present this annually to honour a local person or organisation who have contributed significantly to our local heritage,” Green said.
A privilege
Gregg, who marked 10 years in his role in December, said working at The Elms had been a privilege.
“It’s a place of national importance, and I get to work alongside people who care deeply about the heritage and spirit of this place,” he said.
The Elms | Te Papa Tauranga manager Andrew Gregg has been awarded this year’s Tauranga Heritage Award. Photo / Jo Jones
During Gregg’s tenure, The Elms had seen several significant milestones.
These included recognition of the site as a Garden of National Significance in 2018 and the site’s expansion and enhancement through construction of a new Heritage Garden on a neighbouring property, which was completed in early-2020 just before the Covid-19 lockdowns.
The Elms | Te Papa Tauranga, located on Mission St in Tauranga. Photo / File
He also led a high-profile collaboration with Tauranga Art Gallery on The Rooms exhibition in 2018, in which nationally recognised artists reinterpreted the historic house and its stories, bringing fresh perspectives to the site.
The Elms | Te Papa Tauranga manager Andrew Gregg has been awarded this year’s Tauranga Heritage Award. Photo / Jo Jones
Covid lockdowns, while devastating for visitor numbers, allowed critical conservation work to continue behind the scenes. Major projects included reroofing the Mission House and library, along with seismic strengthening of chimneys to protect the historic buildings.
New perspective
More recently, Gregg oversaw the release of a major new publication, The Spirit of a Place, which brings the story of The Elms into the 21st century. The book replaces the previous trust-commissioned history published in 1984.
The cover of ‘The Spirit of a Place: A New History of The Elms Te Papa Tauranga’. Photo / Amanda Aitken.
“We’re incredibly proud of it,” Gregg said. “It offers a new perspective on the history of The Elms and is beautiful, engaging and very accessible.”
The Elms currently welcomes about 10,000 visitors annually – down from pre-Covid numbers of about 14,000 – but Gregg said it remained a busy and much-loved destination.
“People walk away inspired, amazed, moved – it’s special to see those reactions.”
Looking ahead, ongoing maintenance of the buildings and gardens remains a constant priority, along with plans for a future visitor centre on the site’s vacant land. The trust was also looking forward to working closely with Tauranga’s new museum to enhance the city’s overall visitor experience.
The Elms | Te Papa Tauranga manager Andrew Gregg outside the library in the same spot that Duff Maxwell - the inaugural recipient of the Tauranga Heritage Award – was photographed in 1983. Photo: Jo Jones
Despite the personal recognition, Gregg was quick to credit others.
“My contribution is only meaningful in the context of the contribution of others,” he said. “I feel like I’m standing on the shoulders of giants.”
He acknowledges the dedication of The Elms’ 30-strong volunteer team – some of whom have been involved for more than 26 years – as well as the staff, trustees, and those who came before, including the Maxwell family, who lived on the site for more than a century and preserved it long before the Elms Foundation was established in 1999.
“That sense of lineage and guardianship really matters here,” Gregg said. “My chapter feels modest by comparison.”
A photo of Duff Maxwell, the inaugural recipient of the Tauranga Heritage Award, taken in 1983. Photo/ Jo Jones
That sense of continuity is captured in a photograph taken to mark the award. Gregg recreated a 1983 image of Duff Maxwell – the inaugural recipient of the Tauranga Heritage Award and Green’s grandfather – standing in front of The Elms library holding the same award Gregg now holds.
“It felt like a lovely connection,” Gregg said. “A reminder that this place has been cared for across generations.”
The Tauranga Centennial Heritage Award board is on display in Tauranga Historic Society's meeting hall behind Brain Watkin House. Photo / Supplied
For Gregg, the award is less about individual achievement and more about collective responsibility.
“It reinforces that I’m part of a continuum of care,” he said. “And that’s something I’m incredibly proud to be part of.”