Sending flowers to Thames

Thames, a Thames-Coromandel District town of about 7,230 people, grew from two gold-rush settlements, Shortland and Grahamstown, which merged in 1874. Its history is still close to the surface – the hospital, the cemeteries and even the oldest funeral business in the country all date back to the town's early years. Here is what that means for anyone sending flowers today.

Order by 2 pm on weekdays (11 am Saturdays) for same-day delivery in many areas

Colourful bouquet – send flowers to Thames

Popular bouquets to send to Thames

Made up by a florist near the recipient.

Order by 2 pm on weekdays (11 am Saturdays) for same-day delivery in many areas

Thames Hospital, the oldest still working

Thames Hospital at 610 MacKay Street is the local public hospital and health centre, with a 24-hour emergency department. Built in the 1860s on land donated by Ngāti Maru rangatira Rapana Maunganoa, it is the oldest hospital still operating in New Zealand.

We have not found a published flower rule for Thames Hospital, so check with the ward before sending. Put the patient's full name and ward on the order, and add your own phone number in case they have been discharged.

Rest homes in Thames

If you are sending to an older relative in care, two aged residential care homes in Thames are in our data:

  • Bupa Tararu Care Home, 921 Tararu Road, Thames North
  • The Booms Lifecare, 604 Parawai Road

Use the full name of the home and the resident's name, and consider a small arrangement or a plant that fits on a bedside table. Some residents may have allergies or limited space, so it is worth asking staff what suits.

Which Thames cemeteries are open

Thames-Coromandel District Council lists Totara Memorial Park at 110 Te Arapipi Road, Tōtara, as the Thames cemetery open for burials. Omahu Cemetery at 17 Wharepoa Road, in Wharepoa south of town, serves the Thames Valley. Shortland, Tararu and Tapu cemeteries are disused; Tararu, on the eastern hill above the Thames Coast Road, is closed to the public while its storm-damaged entrance is made safe.

Twentymans Funeral Directors at 709 Pollen Street has served Thames since 1867 – longer than any other funeral business in New Zealand – and opened the Thames Valley Crematory in the former Judds Foundry building on Kirkwood Street in November 2019. Ask the funeral director where flowers should be delivered. Our funeral flower guide helps with the card.

Steampunk, markets and Pollen Street

Thames has held a community-supported Steampunk festival since 2015, and the town has a Saturday morning market. Most shops are on Pollen Street, and Goldfields Shopping Centre is the main mall – useful to know if you are sending to someone who works in town. The historic School of Mines is open to visitors Wednesday to Sunday all year.

For nearby towns, see Paeroa, Whitianga and the Waikato region.

Places flowers often go in Thames

Hospitals

  • Thames Hospital

Rest homes and care

  • Bupa Tararu Care Home
  • The Booms Lifecare

Funeral homes

  • Twentymans Funeral Directors

Cemeteries

  • Shortland Cemetery (disused)
  • Tararu Cemetery (disused)
  • Totara Memorial Park, 110 Te Arapipi Road (open)
  • Omahu Cemetery, 17 Wharepoa Road (open) (Wharepoa)

Put the recipient’s ward, room or the funeral director’s name on the order so the florist can find them.

Upcoming occasions

Busy days book out early, so order ahead for Thames.

Questions about sending flowers to Thames

Is Thames Hospital really the oldest in New Zealand?
It is the oldest hospital still operating in New Zealand, built in the 1860s on land donated by Ngāti Maru rangatira Rapana Maunganoa.
Which cemetery in Thames is used for burials now?
Totara Memorial Park at 110 Te Arapipi Road, Tōtara. Omahu Cemetery in Wharepoa also serves the Thames Valley.
Can I visit Tararu Cemetery?
Not at the moment. The council says it is closed to the public while its storm-damaged entrance is made safe.
🌸 Send flowers to Thames