Polish Heritage of Otago and Southland Charitable Trust (POHOS)
Welcome!
Witamy!
Invitation
To the unveiling of the Commemorative Plaque
in Memory of the arrival of the “Palmerston”
to Port Chalmers on 6th December 1872
You are warmly invited to join us in celebrating this historic occasion.
Date: Saturday, 6th December 2025
Time: 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Venue: Port Chalmers Town Hall, 1 Grey Street, Port Chalmers
The event will include the official unveiling of the commemorative plaque, afternoon tea, cutting a cake, and meet & greet.
The Polish Heritage of Otago & Southland wishes to express its gratitude to the Polish Honorary Consul for Otago & Southland, Mrs Winsome Dormer, for donating the commemorative plaque to the Polish & Port Chalmers Communities and she will graciously take part in the unveiling celebrations.
The Polish Heritage of Otago & Southland Charitable Trust would like to thank Port Otago for the support we have received by providing a prime location for the 150th Palmerston plaque and for its installation within the Port.
RSVP: by Tuesday 2nd December to Anna McCreath Munro phone 021 127 4974
or email secretary@polesdownsouth.org.nz
Book Launched – Poles Down South
Many Years of Dedicated Research came to fruition on Saturday, 18th November 2023, with the launch of Paul Klemick’s book
“Poles Down South”.
A Story of Early Polish Settlers In Otago & Southland.
The following launches were held
2 March 2024 at the residence of Jim Binnie of 24 Caernarvon Street, Allanton (old Switalla cottage) at 1pm (Przynieś talerz)
12 March 2024 at the Oamaru Public Library at 6pm
5 August 2024 at the Invercargill Public Library at 2pm
This limited edition is now available for on-line purchase
at Papers Plus in the Dunedin Meridian
For a reprint edition click for more info and online purchase
Polish Heritage of Otago and Southland Charitable Trust (POHOS)
Who We Are
Joining the Polish Heritage of Otago and Southland Charitable Trust (POHOS) means that you become part of a community of early Polish settlers, more recent Polish immigrants, and a network of citizens primarily in Otago and Southland – brought together through a shared curiosity and passion for Polish language, culture, ethnicity and family heritage.
The Polish Trust offers enjoyable opportunities to discover, learn about and, support the Trust’s events and undertakings.
Our events provide welcoming places – locally and occasionally nationally – to hear excellent lectures, participate in events including special church services and Christmas celebrations, assist in the fostering and encouragement of Polish customs, revisit your Polish heritage and share with like minds, while exchanging your ideas and knowledge about local and national kinships alongside the efforts and goals of the Polish Heritage Trust.
Our Trust was formed in 1998 at the time when Otago was celebrating 150 years of existence and when little was known, in New Zealand, of the early Polish pioneers. It was with the coming together, at that time, of recent immigrants and the descendants of those early settlers of 1872 that brought about the beginnings of the Polish Heritage of Otago and Southland Charitable Trust. Our aims then, as they are today, were to bring to the people of Dunedin and New Zealand awareness of our heritage and in the longer term to extend that awareness to the peoples of Poland.
Spoken Polish
If you would like to hear the Polish names and text spoken in Polish then we can help.
Firstly click on this link "Text to Polish" and then copy the text you wish to hear, and paste it into the translation box. You can either listen to it or have it download onto your machine.
Enjoy !!
Paul Klemick, QSM
This website is due almost entirely to years of dedication by Paul Klemick in researching and documenting the story of Polish settlement in New Zealand, and particularly in the Otago Southland area.
Chairperson ..... Ewa Rożecka Pollard
Phone ......+64 3 477 5552
Secretary ..... Anna McCreath Munro
Phone ..... 021 127 4974
Facebook ..... Poles Down South
Contact Poles Down South
Poles in New Zealand We would like to hear from Poles or people with any Polish connection, who visited New Zealand and particularly those of you who paid a visit or lived anywhere in Otago or Southland.
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Polski “Poles Down South” jest stroną internetową organizacji polonijnej w Nowej Zelandii działającej w rejonie Otago i Southland na Wyspie Południowej. Siedzibą organizacji jest Dunedin.