Southern Star is the largest and the oldest Lodge in the District of South Island, NZ.

In May 1842, only four months after the first immigrants settled in Nelson, a proposal to form a Masonic Lodge led to a meeting of Freemasons at the appropriately named Freemasons Tavern on the corner of Bridge and Trafalgar Streets.

The Lodge had arranged to become a tenant in the Masonic Centre in Nile Street but this building was severely damaged by fire in November 2019 and we have been meeting in temporary sites until we find a permanent home.

During its existence approximately 1150 men have joined Southern Star Lodge. Membership reached its peak (about 180 members) during the 1960s. Today membership is steady around 50, with about half being regular attenders at our monthly meetings.