The Wairarapa Fern & Thistle Pipe Band is based in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand and has been active since the 1960s. The Royal New Zealand Pipe Bands’ Association notes that there has been a Highland pipe band in Wairarapa for more than 60 years, with the band focused on giving the local community access to the sound and tradition of Highland pipes and drums.

The band has long supported community events, including local Christmas parades, ANZAC commemorations, and other civic occasions. It has also benefited from generations of local families and players, with members coming from a range of backgrounds rather than only Scottish heritage.

Recent information lists the band as active, with Pipe Major Louisa Slack and Drum Sergeant Hunter Neilson leading the group. It also maintains links with nearby bands, including joint concert activity with Wellington City Pipe Band.

Today, Wairarapa Fern & Thistle remains a community-centred New Zealand pipe band, keeping Highland music alive in the region through teaching, performance, and local service. A fine bit of Wairarapa drone-work: community roots, local pride, and reeds behaving themselves only when they feel like it.