150 Years in Business!

In 2025 Oakleys celebrates 150 years in business in the South Island!

The company started life in 1875 under the direction of Henry Oakley and John Taylor and together they established Taylor & Oakley: Plumbers, Gasfitters, Brass Founders, Iron & Tinplate Workers, Bellhangers & Sanitary Engineers.

Today, 150 years later, the company has grown and thrived. We will be undertaking celebrations all year long and want to incorporate our loyal staff, customers and suppliers into everything we do.

To kick start the year we are giving back to the community. Come and spend $500 in any of our showrooms and you'll be directly supporting the following charities:

Christchurch:
Ranui House & Apartments: For more than 30 years the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust has supported thousands of patients and family who have had to leave their homes for life saving treatments. All while having the vision to cure cancer. Ranui House & Apartments provides a safe haven for patients and their families while undergoing lifesaving treatments for cancer, accidents and life-threatening illnesses.

The Christchurch Aunties: A network of more than 6500 people creating Canterbury where women and children who have experienced abuse or familial violence are supported. The Christchurch Aunties gets essential items to women and their families quickly and seamlessly.

Dogwatch Sanctuary Trust: For more than 40 years Dogwatch Sanctuary Trust has been dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming dogs in need. Dogwatch intakes from Canterbury pounds and rehomes more than 100 dogs per year.

Dunedin:
I am Hope Foundation: The I Am Hope Foundation is a community peer support group, aiming to forever change the way New Zealanders think, act and feel about mental health and suicide. By working seamlessly with mental health professionals, service providers, astute business leaders and our communities they believe it is possible to reverse the population trends of depression and suicide by effecting a positive social change.

Otago Community Hospice: Otago Community Hospice is a centre of excellence providing the highest quality specialist palliative care and support to patients and their families throughout Otago. Otago Community Hospice enables patients to live their lives as fullly as possible. They work in partnership with the community, offering education, support, care and advice to family, whanau, carers and health and social service professionals, through a patient's illness and following death.

SPCA Dunedin: SPCA helps protect more than 30,000 animals in New Zealand every year. Animals who are sick, injured, abused or vulnerable. The SPCA Centre in Dunedin is the oldest SPCA in New Zealand, established in 1872. Set on 42 acres of land in the hills of North Dunedin their purpose-built centre has been designed to provide optimal care for animals. This includes cat facilities with a hospital and surgery.

Nelson:
Coastguard Nelson Tasman: Coastguard Nelson helps people and vessels on the water as one of the vital emergency services in the Nelson-Tasman region. The 100% volunteer staffed organisation covers a huge coastal area with often very challenging sea conditions. In the past year it has carried out 58 lifesaving rescues, assisted 16 broken down vessels and spent 746 hours at sea. Coastguard Nelson currently holds the highly coveted Coastguard New Zealand Rescue of the Year Award for the gruelling rescue of sailing yacht, Ocean Gem, and the safe return of all six people onboard.

The Kiwi Kids Charity: What started as a one-off memorial event in 2020 for New Zealand’s iconic TV builder John "Cocksy" Cocks has grown to become an annual charity fishing competition that raises money to help kids across New Zealand via the Kiwi Kids Charity. The South Island event is being held at D'Urville Island on March 2025 with tradie teams competing for most impressive snapper, kahawai, blue cod, kingfish and crayfish. Kiwi Kids is a nationwide charity helping kids, schools, and families whose unique needs aren’t eligible for funding through regular channels. They supply aids such as custom mobility support, access to learning tools, working bees, community projects, specialist medical equipment, speech lessons, sports equipment, or just basic supplies for day to day living.