The Forest Lodge No. 116 NZC

The Forest Lodge began life as a discussion in a pub just outside Wakefield in June 1873, and by 7 April 1874 its Charter arrived from the Grand Lodge of England. It was named "The Forest Lodge No. 1481 EC", and the name was chosen as first meetings were held in the Forest Inn (the landlord being conveniently a Freemason).

Modern day Forest Lodge is No. 116 of the New Zealand Constitution (having made the change in 1898) and the first Lodge building was opened in 1883, but in 1903 this whole building was shifted (by traction engine and many strong volunteers) into the growing township of Wakefield. There Forest Lodge remained until 2012 when economic pressures caused the sale of the Wakefield building, and the Lodge took up residence with other Lodges and Masonic Side Orders in the Nile Street Masonic Hall in Nelson. A devastating fire in 2019 caused loss of the Hall along with much regalia, furniture and mementoes. After considerable time dealing with the insurance company, the sale of the derelict building and the search for new premises a convenient building/location was found in Stoke, to which Forest moved in 2024: during that intervening period Club Waimea in Richmond very kindly lent Forest the use of a large room for meetings.

The Forest Lodge now lives at the Nelson-Tasman Masonic Centre, 443C Nayland Road, Stoke, Nelson 7011. It maintains regular updates (including charity and community support events) via its Facebook Page.

Our Meetings

The Forest Lodge meets on the second Wednesday of each month of the year – except for January. Standing Committee gathers on the first Wednesday of the month, with the annual Installation ceremony being held on a convenient Saturday in November. The February meeting is usually held by dispensation in the Tiny Lodge at Willow Bank Heritage Village (to the South of Wakefield) – a location only a couple of hundred metres from the first Forest Lodge building – and is followed by a family BBQ in the Village grounds.  The original English Warrant hangs in the Tiny Lodge. 

One hundred and fifty years old - and The Forest Lodge is going strong!