Route 79 Museum

The Route 79 Museum at 10 Craig Road, Geraldine, is what happens when a career mechanic retires without slowing down. Paul Robins trained as a diesel mechanic and spent 30 years in helicopter engineering, from Antarctic expeditions to Borneo heli logging, and in November 2020 he opened his collection on the State Highway 79 route to Tekapo.

The word is eclectic and it earns it: classic cars, tractors and motorbikes share the shed with WWII military pieces including a Bofors anti aircraft gun, and the connoisseur's item is a rare Norton rotary, one of the small number of Wankel engined motorcycles Norton ever built.

At NZ$10 with kids free, it is the natural leg stretch between Geraldine's food shops and the Mackenzie Country drive, and if Paul is about, the stories behind the machines are the real admission value.

A personal, densely packed collection on the road to Tekapo; small, honest and worth the stop.

Look out for:

• The rare Norton rotary, a Wankel engined motorcycle few museums anywhere can show.

• The Bofors anti aircraft gun and WWII military displays.

• Classic cars, tractors and motorbikes packed close enough to study.

• Wall displays and photographs from Paul Robins' helicopter engineering years, Antarctica to Borneo.

Best way to experience it: stop on the Geraldine to Tekapo run, allow 30 to 60 minutes, and ask about the helicopter years; the collection makes more sense with the man's story attached.

• Open Monday, Thursday and Friday 9:30am to 4:30pm, Saturday 10am to 4:30pm, Sunday 11am to 4pm; closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

• Entry NZ$10; children 16 and under free.

• At 10 Craig Road, just off State Highway 79 in Geraldine; on-site parking, phone +64 27 949 8291.

• Small venue with tight aisles; a quick call ahead is wise for a special trip.

Last updated: 3 September 2026