Featherston Prisoner of War Camp

Featherston Prisoner of War Camp was a detention facility in South Wairarapa that held over 800 Japanese prisoners during World War II. The site contained multiple compounds organized with barracks, mess halls, workshops, and recreational facilities to accommodate the detained men.

The grounds originally served as a military training site during World War I before being converted into a prisoner camp in September 1942. This change occurred because New Zealand needed additional space to hold the large number of Japanese prisoners captured during the Pacific War.

Prisoners maintained connections to home through careful cultivation of vegetable gardens and ornamental plants on the grounds. A memorial stone bearing Japanese inscriptions remains visible today as a testament to how they honored those who died while in detention.

The grounds are open for visitors to explore the remaining structures and read information panels that explain the camp's daily operations. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended since visiting involves moving across open terrain and viewing different sections of the former compound.

On February 25, 1943, a work-related protest escalated into violence resulting in the deaths of 48 Japanese prisoners and one New Zealand guard. This tragic incident remains a significant moment in New Zealand's wartime history and shapes how the camp's conditions and the prisoners' experiences are understood today.

Location: Featherston

GPS coordinates: -41.11861,175.35607

Latest update: December 7, 2025 19:27