The Matakana War Memorial is located at the entrance to Matakana Village, a small rural village north-east of Warkworth. It is dedicated to 13 men from the district who lost their lives in the First World War. After the Second World War another plaque was added listing six men from the district who died in that conflict. The memorial features a sculpture of George V which has been vandalised and restored several times since it was unveiled in 1920. In 2006 the memorial was moved from its original location on the corner of Matakana Wharf Road and Matakana Road to a nearby site in the Matakana Wharf Reserve. This work was carried out in liaison with the Warkworth NZRSA.
The memorial was unusual because it was sculpted by a New Zealand sculptor, William Henry Feldon (1872-1945), whereas most New Zealand communities sent orders for sculpted figures to Italy. Feldon had written to Sir James Allen asking for work. His other commissions included the Arawa memorial in Rotorua and the Helensville and Mercer memorials.
In 2020 the memorial was classified a Historic Place Category 2 by Heritage New Zealand.
Find more images and information on the Matakana War Memorial Facebook page.
Images: Vanessa Tanner, 2007
Additional information from Peter Bilton and the Matakana War Memorial Facebook page