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Foxton Township
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The town is 1½ hour’s drive from Wellington, in the vicinity of Palmerston North, Wanganui and the Martinborough wine region, with 3.5 million cars passing through every year.
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There’s the Manawatu river loop that will be re-opened, cleaned up and developed by volunteer townspeople with financial and strategic support from Horizons District Council. The Save Our River Trust is developing walkways and planning water activities.
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The UN has assigned the nearby wetlands and bird wildlife a globally prized, unique ‘Ramsar’ status.
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Foxton Beach has been a popular summer playground for the region, for many decades.
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Foxton is rich in museums and murals, as well as annual events that attract many 1000s of visitors
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The replica 17th century Dutch windmill De Molen (30m high) hosts over 30,000 visitors every year.
HDC plans to redesign the townscape so that it will better suit tourism. The Main Street is set to be turned into a feature all by itself, with trees and plenty of room for art and markets. This museum town also counts numerous murals that depict its rich Maori and pioneering history.HDC has made $100,000 in Capital Funding available to the Dutch Connection.
Town of Choice
Foxton was selected unanimously by the 10 Dutch Societies in 2007 as their preferred museum location, after a nationwide Location Analysis was conducted which recommended 5 location options in the North and South Island. The main reasons for this choice:
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In conjunction with De Molen and the surrounding polder-like landscape with Friesian cows, Foxton can offer visitors a comprehensive Dutch experience.
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Foxton is within a 2 – 3 hour driving distance of some 20% of all New Zealanders of Dutch descent
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It’s in a central location, in the country’s Geographic Centre (in the middle of the North / South Islands).
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It offers easy access and parking
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Plenty of local support for the initiative
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in 2008 with Horowhenua District Council to include the Dutch Connection in their long term strategic plan with Foxton as tourism centre for the region, and to provide us with advantageous terms.