established 1948bring

ing history alive

for over 65 years

lakes district museum newsletter winter // july 2016

THE FACTS // director’s report pg 1 // education pg 2 // post office pg 3 // book shop pg 4

Here we are in mid-winter and as I look out my window there is little snow, trees covered in blossom and the roses are still flowering in many gardens. The temperatures have swung wildly, with some very cold days and some unbelievably mild days. Hopefully snow will arrive soon bringing in the skiers and things will return to normal.

Over the last 6 months the museum has continued to be very busy. The summer season overall was excellent with huge numbers of visitors enjoying all the Wakatipu has to offer. We do have to monitor this growth very carefully and plan accordingly and while the benefits of growth generally are preferable to stagnation, unbridled growth can be disastrous.

Our strengths are our friendly community, numerous attractions and fascinating history but most of all our landscapes and environment which are fragile. This growth puts pressure on heritage landscapes and heritage buildings. When I see the sky full of circling jets waiting to land, the roads gridlocked with traffic, no parking capacity and more and more green fields development, I often think of David Lange’s comment that it might be time to ‘pause for a cup of tea’. I am sure that is not going to happen though!

In the meantime the museum continues to play its important role in protecting our history and telling ‘our’ story. This is done through our displays and special exhibitions, the protection of objects in our collection, collating and maintaining our archival database, assisting in historical publications, actively working to save heritage buildings and running a vibrant education programme. To that end we continue to move down the path of restoring our own on-site heritage buildings, building a new storage facility, assisting with the publication of two new books, applying for a new education contract and assisting with the restoration of the Category 1 listed Arrowtown Gaol. The work of a museum is never done! We cannot do it all on our own and that is why we need the ongoing help of you, the members, new members, local body funding and grants.

Thanks as always to the board and staff for

all their work over the last 6 months. We said goodbye to staff members Susan Murray and Charlotte Benson, but welcomed Joan Sutton and Victoria Barclay.

On a sadder note we acknowledge the passing in April of one of our greatest supporters and members Mary Lines. We will miss Mary coming to every museum event with her twinkle, quick wit and of course her plates of muffins.

Don’t forget the AGM!

David Clarke Director

director’sreport

Arrowtown House under snow C1960. Russell family collection

Great news!! The Trust has finally secured the necessary funding to begin the restoration of the Category 1 Arrowtown Gaol. This very exciting project will begin in September/October. Thanks to Lottery Environment and Heritage, CCPF, Central Lakes Trust, the Community Trust of Southland and the Queenstown Casino Community Trust for their funding support. Also thanks to all the fellow trustees who give up their time to help preserve the district’s heritage. We have raised $210,000 for this project. As a follow up project, the Trust is also working on reports looking at the restoration of the Bullendale Hydro Power plant, one of the most significant industrial heritage sites in New Zealand.

Heritage TrustWakatipu

Busy day Nairn Street Ice Skating rink Arrowtown C1960 EL6630

Bessie Adams outside her cottage. Buckingham Street c1960 EL 6404

We have recently installed over 30 new exit signs and emergency lights throughout the museum as part of fire safety upgrading. This has cost us over $35,000 but had to be done.

This year the AGM is to be held on Thursday September 22nd at 7:30pm. Put the date in your diaries. We also need members to consider standing for the museum board. It is not an onerous task with one meeting a month.

AGM

outstanding display of talent. Congratulations to the Supreme Award Winner, Jasmine Middlebrook, from Taranaki. Jasmine has recently been named in the NZ Listener as a

The gallery is looking very smart and professional with newly painted walls and partitions. Combined with new spotlights the art works and special exhibitions can now be presented in the best possible way. We have had another excellent selection of shows over the last 6 months. In February we had

the

gallerya show of work by Dunedin based former Wakatipu artists Dianne Souness and Jan Crawford.

In March, the Wakatipu High School Art department wowed everyone with their excellent display of paintings, graphics and photography. It was great hosting such young talent.

The Ray White Arrowtown Autumn Festival Art Exhibition was once again an

safetyfire

Things are finally winding down for the winter school holidays for the Education Department. The first two terms of this year have been fantastically busy. Aside from smashing student target numbers the team has also had to work on vying for a new Ministry of Education (MoE) LEOTC contract. There will be news in July and September to see if we are successful, fingers crossed, as is much more competitive this round. We rely on this money to keep our very important education programme going.

We also had Anneliese’s first MoE observation which went really well considering it unexpectedly poured with rain. She passed with flying colours! David and Anneliese also both headed up to the Big Smoke (Auckland) in May for the first Museums Australasia Joint Conference. The conference theme was Facing the Future: Local, Global and Pacific Possibilities

and we had many thought provoking and inspiring key note speakers such as Moana Jackson and Elizabeth Merritt.

Many new programmes were designed for various schools’ inquiry topics. Notable ones included Mount Aspiring’s ‘Using and Impacting Our Land’ which was a PowerPoint looking at the impact of farming, goldmining, introduced pests, and tourism on our local area. This programme explored how we have and currently are utilising our land and whether there are negative or positive impacts.

Another new favourite was ‘Finding the GOLD in Māori Mythology’. The GOLD in this circumstance refers to Arrowtown Schools’ learning qualities; Guardianship, Opportunity, Learning and Determination. We used lots of mediums to explore this and each class made their own mosaic taniwha to guard their class. Shadow puppets were also made to help tell some Māori myths. Two educators Anneliese and Wendy are both undertaking Te Reo study with the Southland Institute of Technology.

programmeeducation

The wheels of getting reports completed, acquiring consents and starting to apply for funding move very slowly. The restoration of our bank and stables buildings and the building of a new storage facility are moving forward but they take time, as we are reliant on outside experts to produce the necessary reports. The conservation plan and engineering specifications are almost complete for the bank buildings and we now have a resource consent for the storage building. We are just awaiting engineering drawings before we can get a cost estimate and apply for a building consent.

building

Pembroke, now Wanaka 1913 EL4111

Hullabaloo opening 1 July. Photo Eric Schusser

Ballarat Street, now Queenstown Mall 1923 EL5969

New Zealand artist to watch.

July sees a stunning exhibition by Cromwell Art Collective, Hullabaloo. They are celebrating their first decade of delivering consistently high standard art work from their base in Old Cromwell Town.

Coming up we have an exhibition of woodcuts titled ‘Epi Through Our Eyes’ by students from Epi High School in Vanuatu. Local Arrowtown art teacher Janelle Aston

inbrief

The museum entered a float in the Arrowtown Autumn Festival parade. Thanks to all those who took part on the day. We all enjoyed the day.

In May, the Director and the Education Officer attended the first Museums Australasia Joint Conference held in Auckland.

Health and Safety plans are the catch phrase at the moment and Jane Peasey has written one for the museum so that we comply with the new legislation. Thanks to Emily Parata from Base Contracting who provided expertise in this area.

Mandarin, German and French translations are available for visitors to the museum and we continue to work on other ways to engage a Chinese audience.

We continue to host many visiting dignitaries, special functions and provide walking tours around Arrowtown for many tour groups.

Thanks to the outgoing Queenstown Probus club who gave the museum a generous donation recently.

LAKES DISTRICT MUSEUM 49 Buckingham Street, Arrowtown 9302 P: 03 442 1824 E: info@museumqueenstown.com W: museumqueenstown.com

@museumarrowtown

has visited Epi Island twice to teach pupils art and along with Michelle Page of the Epi Island Incentive Trust, is raising money from the sale of works to go back to the islands.

Later in the year we have a repeat showing of our WWI exhibition and this will run through summer.

Our Past Perfect Database that stores information and descriptions of most of our collection, has been upgraded and is performing well. We hosted a McEntyre family reunion in the new year. Anne Maguire did a great job producing information about the family who have a hill named after them, below which their family home still sits. Anne has recently been scanning a number of glass plates that have not been copied before. It is always great to see new images. Former Arrowtown Mayor and oldest resident Jack Reid has started donating his research notes and council records. Thanks to Taylor Reed for looking through them first. The archives room remains a constant hub of activity with someone always using it for undertaking research, seeking family information, ordering a photograph or teaching students about primary source material. It continues to be a wonderful, ever expanding facility that has developed out of nothing over the last 25 years.

collectionsarchives/

Jane, Julie and Joan continue to have the Arrowtown Post Office looking great and always provide a warm welcome. This year marks 25 years since the museum intervened to save the Post Office facility for Arrowtown residents and visitors. Over the last financial quarter the Arrowtown Post Office was the top performing Southern Region Post Centre which is a great result for the staff. However, more than ever, we need you to continue to use the facility to post letters and parcels, buy gift and cards and the many other items that the Post Office stocks. A big thanks to the museum board grounds committee who take pride in having the gardens looking a picture, from October through to May. Thanks also to our long term tenant Mike Gibbons who has moved to Dunedin and also to Dam Good Fruit whose popular fruit stall served delicious fruit throughout the summer and autumn.

A big highlight of the last 6 months was the completion and launch of Danny Knudson’s new book on the history of Skippers. The launch took place at the museum on April 16 and was well attended by a mixture of Danny’s family, members from the museum and the Queenstown and District Historical Society, farming families and descendants of Skippers pioneers.

Since then the book has received excellent reviews and is selling very well. Copies are available at the museum. Congratulations to Danny and all that were involved in this publication.

Our other joint book venture is with Hilary Hunt, who is writing a book about the life of former Glenorchy resident and famous milliner, Lindsay Kennett. This book should be completed in the next couple of months.

As part of our museum constitution we have a role financially supporting relevant historical publications. Prolific and talented local writer Alan ‘Hammy’ Hamilton has completed another book about Hamilton family life on Doonholme Farm at Morven Ferry and it’s another great yarn. Staff members Jane Peasey and Glenys Young finished their excellent little Arrowtown pictorial book and this has been selling well. It is a great souvenir for visitors to take away with them. Remember we also have a good stock of cards, gifts, souvenirs and artwork in our retail area.

arrowtownpost office

souvenirs/

gifts/books

Enclosed please find your membership form. You can renew either by paying online or filling the form in and posting it or bringing it into the museum. We welcome your ongoing membership and support of this important and hardworking organisation. Please encourage friends and family to join as last year we experienced a slight decline in our membership which is something we want to turn around. There are many benefits you receive from membership of the museum.

membership

Hotop’s Rise and Camp Street Queenstown. Under snow 1904 EL1656

*Lily Max* Satin, Scissors, Frock by Jane Bloomfield $22

“Great heavens Lily Max, what on earth are you wearing? That outfit is OUTRAGEOUS!”

*Lily Max* Satin, Scissors, Frock is a quirky and entertaining story about the importance of perseverance and being yourself. Lily Max loves designing her own outfits and the crazier the better (she likes gluing doll’s heads to her boots). The school ball is the perfect chance for Lily to show off her talent and defeat her arch-enemy Violet Hughes at the same time. Will Lily win the Best Dressed Snow Queen crown at the ball? How will she cope if she doesn’t?

This book is written by a Queenstown author, Jane Bloomfield, and illustrated by an ex-Arrowtowner, Guy Fisher. It has made the short list of this year’s New Zealand Book Awards and is a great book for anyone aged 8-12. Amelia Peasey (aged 12)

Māori Art for Kids by Julie Noanoa and Norm Heke.$25

This fantastic book provides easy instructions

to make15 Māori themed art activities for children. While these art projects use easily accessible and cheap modern materials, each project has photos and explanations of the historic materials and uses of the objects. The whole book is illustrated with large pictures and photos accompanying the clear step by step instructions and artists’ tips, to ensure successful art projects every time. The book is sure to become a classic across New Zealand, and is a must have for all school teachers or children with a keen interest in art. Anneliese Stephens

Skippers – Triumph & Tragedy by Danny Knudson $48

Danny’s latest book is a comprehensive and entertaining history of the Skippers area. Danny tells stories that are not just

facts, figures and gold mining techniques, but the stories of the people that braved the conditions and isolation to settle in such a remote area.

The history of Skippers is closely linked with the story of Queenstown and Arrowtown and so the book includes many insights into the history of the wider Wakatipu area as well.

The book is packed with images that give life to the hardy families and stories that Danny tells so well about this fascinating area and era in our history. Jane Peasey

Where is Bunny’s Home? By Blair Cooper $18

An entertaining little board book which features a little white

rabbit trying to find his home. This book includes a free soft white rabbit so is a lovely present for someone with a new baby or young children. Glenys Young

Kuwi’s Huhu Hunt by Kat Merewether $20

This is a delightful book which includes Kuwi as a soft toy. Kuwi takes her very fussy new chick

on a hunt for something to eat. This story is written for young children and is a story both parents and children can relate to. The

detailed, vibrant illustrations are superb and there are small native gems hidden throughout the book. This book is one of the finalists for the Children’s choice for Best Picture Book Award. Glenys Young

The History of Doonholme Farm by Alan Hamilton $40

This is another book in a series by local farmer, gold miner, hunter and born and bred Queenstowner ‘Hammy’

Hamilton. His books are always packed with good stories about people he has known and met, of gold mining and local history, but this one has more emphasis on his family. However, it is a family story that we can all share. It tells about his parent’s decision to move from their Queenstown farm to Doonholme farm in Morven Ferry in 1946. This was the farm that Hammy ultimately took over to raise not only a family, but also sheep and deer. The book is packed full of photographs and is a great read. David Clarke

Garrick Tremain’s Arrowtown Book *SPECIAL FOR MUSEUM MEMBERS*

We have number of Garrick Tremain’s Arrowtown Collection book at a special price for members. Usually $20, we have copies available for $10, just for museum members and only until the end of August. Garrick’s popular book full of Arrowtown images is the perfect gift! Let reception know that you are a member when you purchase your copy.

Both the gift shop at the Post Office and the bookshop at the Museum get better and better. There are new gifts, cards, books and souvenirs being stocked daily. Come in and have a look as we offer excellent prices. Bring your members card for a %10 discount (not available on Post Office purchases)

LAKES DISTRICT MUSEUM 49 Buckingham St, Arrowtown 9302 P: 03 442 1824 E: info@museumqueenstown.com W: museumqueenstown.com MUSEUM POST OFFICE P: 03 442 1885

established 1948bring

ing history alive

for over 65 years

lakes district museum newsletter winter // july 2016

bookshop

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