The Kate Sheppard National Memorial to Women’s Suffrage in Christchurch has been formally added to the New Zealand Heritage List as a Category 1 historic place.

The 2.1-metre-high bas-relief sculpture, located on Oxford Terrace, was created to mark the centenary of New Zealand women gaining the right to vote in 1893. It features a life-sized figure of Kate Sheppard, surrounded by five other prominent women who contributed to the suffrage movement.

The memorial was the result of a collaborative effort that began in 1990, when 44 women representing various organisations came together to plan the centennial commemorations.

Their work led to the formation of the Kate Sheppard Memorial Appeal Committee, which successfully raised funds through a national campaign. Supporters’ names were included on a Time Capsule Scroll, now sealed inside the memorial.

The committee selected South Canterbury artist Margriet Windhausen to design the sculpture. Windhausen created the figures to appear timeless and relatable to modern viewers.

“I wanted the faces and the stance of the figures to be timeless, for I believe it’s important these women should be able to speak to us today as contemporary women… They both look out at the audience and beyond into the future,” Windhausen said.

In addition to Sheppard, the memorial honours:

•Amey Daldy, a foundation member of the Auckland Women’s Christian Temperance Union.

•Ada Wells, of Christchurch, who fought for equal educational opportunities.

•Harriet Morison, vice president of the Tailoresses’ Union and advocate for working women.

•Helen Nicol, a leader of the suffrage campaign in Dunedin.

•Meri Te Tai Mangakāhia, who advocated for women’s voting rights within the Māori Parliament.

Heritage New Zealand listing advisor Robyn Burgess said the memorial stands out for its accessibility and community connection.

“There’s something very inviting about this memorial. In Christchurch there are only two memorials of women, and one of those is Queen Victoria, up high on a column. Unlike the male statues, where men are presented larger-than-life, the Kate Sheppard Memorial is at ground level, near life-size and accessible,” Burgess said.

The memorial’s location also carries historic significance. The site was previously home to the city’s early Land Office and later municipal buildings connected to key moments in local political history. Ada Wells, honoured on the memorial, became the first woman to serve on Christchurch City Council in 1917, and Elizabeth McCombs began her political career there before becoming New Zealand’s first female Member of Parliament in 1933.

The memorial was unveiled on 19 September 1993 by Governor-General Dame Catherine Tizard, with up to 3,000 people attending the event, which included a dove release, choir performances, and a street party.

Today, the memorial remains a site of annual reflection and celebration. Each year on Suffrage Day, members of the National Council of Women gather to honour the legacy of Sheppard and her fellow campaigners.

“We feel that this is the best place to reflect and to acknowledge the many women who have gone before us, who have worked to advocate for issues that are important to women and girls in our communities,” said Louise Tapper, co-president of the Christchurch branch of the National Council of Women.

“Kate and the other women on the memorial inspire us to keep pushing towards our aim of true gender equality. It is always an honour to lay white camellias, the symbol of women’s suffrage, at the foot of the memorial each Suffrage Day.”

Burgess said public feedback on the heritage listing had been overwhelmingly supportive.

“We have had 18 submissions, all of them positive, and many from organisations and interest groups. People see this as a very significant memorial not only for Christchurch, but for all of New Zealand,” she said.