A New Matariki StoryWalk®
If you have wandered through Manchester Square recently and noticed something new catching the winter sunshine, you are not imagining it. Nestled among the rose gardens near the Feilding Cenotaph War Memorial in Manchester Square, a colourful new StoryWalk® installation has arrived, inviting families to step outside, slow down, and follow a story beneath the stars.
In celebration of Matariki, Manawatū Community Hub Libraries (MCHL) has unveiled a free pop-up StoryWalk® featuring Flit the Fantail and the Matariki Map by New Zealand author Kat Quin. The temporary installation is available now and is part of Feilding District Promotions Manawatū’s Matariki Winter Festival, which runs until the 31 July 2026.
The interactive trail transforms a simple stroll around the rose garden into an imaginative journey, with each page of the story displayed around the pathway for readers to discover as they walk.
The story follows Flit the fantail and his friends Keri the kiwi and Ruru as they navigate the night sky, learning about the Matariki stars and finding their way home. Along the way, young readers are introduced to themes of friendship, whānau, native wildlife, Te Reo Māori counting, and the cultural significance of Matariki.
Marie Willis, Community Programmes Manager at MCHL, says the installation reflects our ongoing commitment to bringing literacy into public spaces. "We are proud to introduce our fifth StoryWalk® and to continue finding creative ways to connect people through reading. Matariki is a time for reflection, celebration, and coming together, and this StoryWalk® offers families a chance to share those moments while enjoying the outdoors. The new display system also gives us exciting flexibility to bring more stories into our community in the future."
Adding to the excitement is the debut of a new style of Pop-Up StoryWalk® infrastructure. For the first time, MCHL has installed durable metal display stands that will allow future stories to be easily refreshed and updated, creating new opportunities for seasonal and themed reading experiences throughout the year.
The temporary StoryWalk® forms part of Feilding District Promotions Manawatū’s Matariki Winter Festival and joins four existing MCHL StoryWalk® locations across the district at Te Āhuru Mōwai, Himatangi Beach, Kōwhai Park, and Mt Lees Reserve.
The project has been made possible through collaboration between Manawatū Community Hub Libraries, Parks and Property staff, and Scholastic New Zealand. Together, the partners continue to invest in literacy, outdoor recreation, and opportunities that bring communities together in memorable ways.
For more information about MCHL StoryWalk® locations, visit: Storywalks | Manawatū Community Hub Libraries
A series of photos capturing the temporary pop-up Matariki display set within the rose garden at the Feilding Cenotaph War Memorial in Manchester Square, Feilding.
