The Alexandra Returns to Caroline Bay – 2025
Thanks to Timaru Host Lions Club and community fundraising, the restored Alexandra now has a purpose-built shelter for future generations.
A Home for Heroes
Bringing the boat back to the bay was a long-held community dream. To celebrate their 60th anniversary, the Lions Club of Timaru Host Inc undertook the ambitious project to create a permanent home for the Alexandra.
A purpose-built structure was designed and constructed by Thompson Engineering, with WuHoo Timaru researching and presenting the maritime history for the new interpretive signage. It is a calm and dignified tribute to Timaru's maritime past.
Visit the Alexandra Today
- Location: Caroline Bay, behind the Soundshell (1 Virtue Avenue, Timaru)
- Access: Free public viewing, year-round
- Perfect for: Heritage walks, family outings, or tying into WuHoo Timaru scavenger hunts at the Bay!
Come and pay your respects to this remarkable survivor of Timaru's dramatic maritime past – now safely home.
Explore more of the Alexandra's story throughout this site, from its technical design and heroic rescues to Black Sunday and the dedicated people who crewed it.
A Milestone Achieved: The Alexandra Lifeboat Enters Its New Shelter – 14 December 2025
A joyous community celebration marked the long-awaited return of Timaru's historic Alexandra lifeboat to its permanent new home at Caroline Bay on Saturday, 14 December 2025.
A Dream Realised
After years of dedicated fundraising and construction led by the Timaru Host Lions Club, the $350,000 project reached its triumphant conclusion. On 14 December 2025, the community gathered for a special celebration as the restored Alexandra – one of only three surviving self-righting lifeboats of its type worldwide – was carefully placed into its custom-built shelter at Caroline Bay.
Located behind the Soundshell at 1 Virtue Avenue, the new shelter ensures this iconic piece of Timaru's maritime heritage is protected from the elements while remaining accessible to the public – right where it belongs, overlooking the bay it once served so bravely.
Thank You to the Community
This achievement would not have been possible without the generous support of donors, sponsors, the Lloyd Morgan Charitable Trust, and countless volunteers. Special recognition goes to the Timaru Host Lions Club for championing the project from the start.
The Alexandra's return completes a circle begun over 160 years ago when it first arrived in Timaru as New Zealand's pioneering professional rescue service.
Our Supporters
None of this would have been possible without the generosity of our partners and sponsors.
Project Partners
- Lions Club of Timaru Host Inc
- Thompson Engineering – Shelter design and supply
- Aoraki Foundation – Fundraising support
- WuHoo Timaru – Research & graphic design
- Branded Kiwi – Sign writing
Major Sponsors
- Platinum: NZ Lotteries Grant Board, Community Trust South, Pub Charity Limited.
- Diamond: Timaru District Council, Lions International Foundation.
- Gold: PrimePort Timaru, RSM Law, Trust Aoraki.
- Silver: MediaWorks, Parry & Co, H J Allan Holdings, Lions Clubs of Temuka & Pleasant Point.