Matamata RSA

05/10/2026

Yes another event at the Matamata RSA! Great fun and variety.

03/10/2026

Make sure 2 put these dates on your calendar💯

02/10/2026

It’s all happening at the RSA make sure you book for these events now!

27/09/2026

Another Sunday and a Good Old Fashion roast at the RSA.

26/09/2026

A Busy Day at Matamata Memorial RSA

It was a busy day at the Matamata Memorial RSA, with good company, plenty of laughter, and, as you might expect when you get a room full of veterans together, a generous supply of tall tales and yarns about the good old days in the Services!

Our annual Veterans and Widows Lunch was held today with more than 50 veterans and widows of veterans joining us for a very enjoyable afternoon.

We were fortunate to have veterans representing all three New Zealand Services — Army, Navy and Air Force — along with a few who had served with overseas forces, including the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.

Chef Troy certainly rose to the occasion, preparing a very well-received lunch. In fact, there was enough food to feed a regiment — and judging by the size of some of the portions, possibly a regiment and its commanding officer as well!

Once the plates had been cleared, the serious business began.

Veterans settled in and started swapping stories of their Service days. There were tales of adventures, mishaps, characters, places and situations that probably shouldn’t be repeated outside the RSA!

Some of the stories were so entertaining that they could easily have provided the script for a TV comedy series — although we suspect the writers might have been accused of making them up!

It was a wonderful opportunity to catch up with old friends, share memories, remember those who are no longer with us, and welcome new faces into the RSA family.

A big thank you to Chef Troy and everyone involved in making the lunch such a success.

And to all our veterans and widows who joined us — thank you for your company, your stories and your good humour.

The Matamata Memorial RSA — where the stories get better with age, and nobody is quite sure how much of them is actually true!

19/09/2026

Come and try our new Chef Troy’s roast! Book by phone ,email or on the sheet on the information table in the clubrooms.

16/09/2026

Today, on Malaya Veterans’ Day, we honour the New Zealanders who served in Malaya and Malaysia between 1949 and 1966.

More than 4,000 New Zealanders served during these campaigns. They left behind families, friends and familiar lives to serve in difficult and often dangerous conditions, carrying with them the responsibility of representing their country far from home.

For many, the experience stayed with them long after their service ended. Their contribution helped shape New Zealand’s military, but more importantly, it is their courage, commitment and sacrifice that we remember today.

We acknowledge every person who served, the families who supported them, and the 20 New Zealanders who lost their lives during operational service.

Today, we remember them not just as part of our military history, but as people whose service became part of the story of our country.

Ka maumahara tonu tātou ki a rātou — We will remember them

Photo Chris Bennett Gong Kedak Airfield 1965

15/09/2026

PRESS RELEASE
By Order of the Matamata RSA
For Immediate Distribution to All Concerned Parties and Potato Enthusiasts
In a momentous declaration destined to echo through the annals of horticultural history, the Matamata RSA hereby announces the commencement of the WorldRenowned (in Matamata) Spud In A Bucket Competition.
This prestigious event, long regarded as the pinnacle of tuber cultivation, invites all RSA members to demonstrate their agricultural prowess and moral fortitude. Participants shall receive — at no cost — the sacred trinity of competition materials: one bucket, one seed potato, and one measure of potting mix, to be distributed in early October.
The contest shall culminate in the ceremonial weighing of crops, where prizes will be bestowed for both the largest overall yield and the most magnificent single potato — a specimen expected to inspire awe and possibly mild envy.
The Matamata RSA urges all members to enter their names upon the official register located on the Information Table within the clubrooms before OCTOBER 2nd. Let no worthy spud go unplanted, nor any bucket remain empty.
This noble endeavour is made possible through the generous patronage of Daltons Garden Supplies, whose commitment to soil and soul alike ensures the continued prosperity of Matamata’s potato elite.
Issued under seal and solemn authority, The Matamata RSA Committee for Competitive Root Vegetables
Dennis Greaves
Member of The Order of New Zealand Spudmasters

10/09/2026

Entry forms will be available in the Clubrooms

10/09/2026