#waiaudistrict — Public Fediverse posts

Tūātapere & District History - Waiau A&P Association Event, c1960's

Tūātapere & District History - Waiau A&P Event, Pipe Band Parade, c1960's:

This photo shows the Tūātapere Pipe Band (which is no longer in existence) at a Waiau A&P Association event during the 1960's. This has been held yearly at the Tūātapere Domain, for nearly 100 years now! The photos were taken by David Erskine, of Westwood Farm, the grandson of the district's earliest European settler West of the Waiau, Hugh Erskine, and donated to the Community Archive by David's son, Quinton Erskine.

In an interesting aside, there is a strong family link with the Erskine's to the Tūātapere Pipe Band, given that the earliest member of the family to have lived here, Hugh Erskine, had given the money to purchase the bands first uniform kilts for the original pipe band, as local legend goes and this was Erskine Tartan. He was also a great supporter of the Pipe Band all his life, often raising money for their cause and helping them out. More on this can be seen in these Community Archives under entry CWA.013.501.011

EARLY HISTORY:
Held on the second Saturday in February each year, the Waiau A & P show has grown from humble beginnings, through the hey-day years and is one of only a handful of original district A&P's to still be holding an annual show. This is only possible due to the hard working association behind this fabulous show. There is also a wonderful piece of history from the 50th Jubilee show in 1989, available in these Community Archives under CWA.003.089.126

The Tūātapere Pipe Band would perform at the New Year's Sports Day and the Waiau A&P Event for many decades. While they are sadly no longer in existence today, their practising members still attend the Waimatuku Pipe Band and still come to the Waiau A&P Event and the New Year's Sports.

Hopefully this entry will be added to as more information comes to hand. If you or anyone you know has any more information or photos to share or accounts of the Waiau A&P Association Events, over the years, please do share this with us in the comments section. You can do this by making a comment in the space provided under the image page. Or you can make contact with us as per the archive front page.
Central and Western Murihiku Southland Archive via DigitalNZ

http://api.digitalnz.org/records/55974953/source

#WaiauDistrict #ErskineFamily #Farming #PioneerSettlers #Events #WaiauA #ErskineTartan #WestwoodFarm #WesternSouthland #Murihiku #DigitalFileCopyOfOriginals #Museums

Waiau District Heritage - Waiau CWI or 'Country Womens' Institute' 35th Birthday, October 1994

Waiau District Heritage - Waiau CWI or 'Country Womens' Institute' 35th Birthday:

A group of Waiau women who were interested in forming a local CWI, met at the Tūātapere Plunket Rooms on 5th October 1959 (and this is where our community archives are now stored and available for research!) We have recently been donated all the archives for this group, so they can stay local.
In the photo albums donated, this 35th birthday was the first event shown in the first one we opened, so this is the first item we are featuring for the Waiau CWI. As we process more of the donated records and photos, they will be entered in here, so that anyone connected to them can enjoy them all.

In this collection is 4 photos on the group's 35th Birthday event in 1994, at Queens Gardens, Invercargill. The photos have been named as follows.

IMAGES
Photo 1 - 35th Birthday, 1994, Cutting the cake is Ngaire Marshall. On the left looking on, is Jean Erskine and in the middle is Moira Horrell.
Photo 2 - Gloria Herrick has her turn at cutting the cake (there is an entry on Gloria Herrick elsewhere in our community archives online).
Photo 3 - 35th Birthday 1994, Tea Kiosk at Queens Park. Members are enjoying their meals. The names that we do know so far are as below:
Front left ?, Back left ?, Back second from left, Back middle left is Moira Horrell, Back middle right? Very back middle right ?, Very back second from right ?, Very back at right ? Left front ?
Photo 4 - 35th Birthday 1994, Tea Kiosk at Queens Park. Members are enjoying their meals. The names that we do know so far are as below:
Back left is thought to be Alice Baxter, Very back left (unable to be seen), Very back third from left ?, Very back left fourth from left (unable to be seen), Back centre fourth from left ?, Back right second from right is Ngaire Marshall, Front at right we have been told is Nina Templeton.
Photo 5 - Back of one photo, which says: "35 Birthday Oct 94, Queen Park"

WAIAU CWI BRIEF HISTORY
The group was duly formed, and called the, "Waiau CWI". Voted into office were, Mrs WG Harpur as President, Mrs CA Diack as Secretary, and Mrs CG Curtis as Treasurer. The groups first official meeting was at the RSA Hall on 21 Oct 1959. Initial membership was around 50, but dwindled to the point that the group eventually closed (we haven't yet found an exact date yet, but have processed minute books up until 2009 which have been gifted to the CWArchive) meaning Waiau CWI was in existence for at least 50 years.

The Waiau CWI had a banner created, it was made of blue velvet, with a painting of a local scene, being the original 'grand' old bridge across the Waiau (replaced in 1970) the 'majestic' Takitimu Mountains as a backdrop, painted by Mrs Lil Dickson. We have this banner in our Archive Collection.

Hopefully this entry will be added to as more information comes to hand. If you or anyone you know has any more information or photos to share or accounts of the Waiau CWI, events and members or the group itself, during the years, please do share this with us in the comments section. You can do this by making a comment in the space provided under the image page. Or you can make contact with us as per the archive front page.

Note: these entries are compiled with information provided by donors with the records, from locally reported news, from national and occasionally international reports in publications, from personal records made by the people themselves - such as their electoral enrollments, wills, war records etc., also from government and council held records such as births, deaths and marriages or cemetery information, and lastly, from community memories, such as those passed on by friends, family and contemporaries. It is not always possible to verify memories from others, so please let us know if you believe we have any incorrect information. If you believe that any public or personal record information quoted is wrong, if you can provide proof of any alternative fact to us in a document showing evidence of the correct details, that would be very helpful to us. Thank you.
Central and Western Murihiku Southland Archive via DigitalNZ

http://api.digitalnz.org/records/59550022/source

#Women #CwiCountryWomen #Womens #WaiauDistrict #WesternSouthland #Clubs #DigitalImageInOnlineArchivePhysicalCopyInArchiveStore

Tūātapere Community Icons - Malcolm Garrett, School Teacher for 40 years, 1959-2020

Tūātapere Community Icons - Malcolm Garrett, School Teacher for 40 years:

Historical photos & news articles shown in images above, kindly donated by our Patron, Margaret Thomas, part of the Waiau School Records collection.
IMAGES:
1 - Malcolm Garrett's funeral notice from Joan Edgerton's School page site.
2 - Malcolm Garrett in his first year teaching at Waiau District High School, 1959
3 - Malcolm Garrett overview of teaching at Waiau, by G Bradley, School BOT (this school magazine article is also available in .pdf under photos)

MALCOLM GARRETT
In 1998, the then Waiau College wrote what could be considered, an ‘ode’ to Malcom Garrett, one of their own. It goes like this, (quoted):

-------------------------------

“Forty years ago in 1958, Malcolm Garrett started his teaching career and has been going strong ever since. In 1959 Malcolm started teaching at Waiau District High School, where he met Betty, whom he later married. After the birth of their twins, the family moved to the Lewis Pass area, where he became the Principal and bus driver for four years.

In 1968, an opening for a teacher at Clifden Primary School became available, so the family moved back home. In 1977, Waiau District High School became Waiau College and Malcolm became Dean for Forms 1 & 2.

Over his years at Waiau College, Malcolm has seen many changes in the school. He has seen old buildings be replaced with new buildings, such as the library, gymnasium and administration block, and then of course there has been the changes in discipline procedures. Malcolm has had many enjoyable times at Waiau College and he has especially enjoyed the school productions, camps, sports days and all the other annual events, such as the Ironman.

After his retirement at the end of this year, he and Better are planning a trip around the world with their close friends, the Burts, where they plan to stay with various friends and relatives. “After that who knows what. I’ll probably wander around like a lost sheep”, Malcolm said. But he will still have his house and the poultry to look after and he is still a vital member of the Waiau Community Theatre Group and a newly elected member of the Community Board.

Quote from a letter to Malcolm:
“Your long service both to the District High and to the College mean that we are losing an invaluable link with the past. One of the most striking things about your service at the College has been your leading the march into Information Technology. This indicates the vitality, vision and drive that you possess. Your input over a great number of years into the cultural life of the College, has also been enormous.

Records show a long and distinguished time with the Waiau District High and then with Waiau College. The first stint was from 1959 til 1964 as Assistant and then First Assistant. The next ten years were spent in Primary Schools in the district as Principal. A return to Waiau College happened in 1977 and you have remained until 1998. During that period you served as Junior Dean, ran productions, coached gymnastics, swimming, camps, organized the School of Music Classes and have finally moved into the computing field.

This is a distinguished record with this school and others of the district. The present Board of Trustees can only extend its grateful thanks on behalf of past and present parents to you. Your service with us has been exemplary and a proud achievement. We are delighted that these years of service and dedication have been given here.

We wish you well in the future and hope that we may still avail ourselves of your services for relief and other duties.” G Bradley, on behalf of Waiau College BOT.”

---------------------------------

Others have informed us that Malcolm Garrett was a huge part of the Community Theatre, we are hoping to get some photos of him in that to add to this entry. He was also an avid historian according to our Patron, Margaret Thomas, who has bought in a lot of his written works on the district, these are available to view and use for research.

Malcolm’s ancestors came from the district from records we have. The fourth child and third son born to Robert (Bert) Harold and Mildred (née Spence) Garrett, of Merrivale. The family settled at Fenham Road in 1929. Another son and daughter followed later. Bert, or ‘Red’ as he was called, was to die young from a cerebral tumour, leaving his wife Mildred with 5 children and another on the way. She sold up and the family moved to the outskirts of Christchurch, where Malcolm grew up, returning to Tūātapere to teach. In his time here, he was not only involved in Community Theatre, but also editing the Western Wanderer, doing computer ...
Central and Western Murihiku Southland Archive via DigitalNZ

http://api.digitalnz.org/records/57191433/source

#DistrictHistory #WaiauDistrict #Central #WaiauDistrictHighSchool #CommunityTheatre #WesternSouthland

Waiau River - photos of Whitebaiting and the river mouth in decades past, c1980s

Whitebaiting, Waiau River and Waiau Mouth. This is what the whitebaiting scene at the Waiau River looked like in 'the season', many years ago now. This series of images, recently donated to the Community Archive, were used to commemorate the new 2024 Whitebaiting season. The new 2025 season starts today on 1 September. We wish all whitebaiters on our river a safe, successful season, and encourage the environmental protection of these taonga, so future generations can also enjoy whitebaiting as we do.

IMAGES:
Photo 1 - whitebaiting on the Waiau River at the mouth, in days past
Photo 2 - some of the whitebaiting caravans parked up at Waiau River
Photos 3 - scenes of the Waiau River at the Waiau mouth in days past
Photographs by Ron McDowell & kindly donated to CWA. Licensed CC BY

WHITEBAIT:
The Department of Conservation or DOC, summarises what we know as 'Whitebait, as being, "the juveniles of six species of fish, five of which are migratory galaxiids: inanga, banded kōkopu, giant kōkopu, kōaro and shortjaw kōkopu. The sixth species is common smelt." Doc further inform us that the whitebait caught locally from the Waiau River, are predominantly inanga. These are "found in a wide variety of habitats, from tiny creeks, to coastal rivers, lowland streams, lakes and wetlands." Inanga are small and most only survive a year or so, reaching about 100mm in length – the longest one found on record, was 190 mm.

"Because they are poor climbers, inanga are usually found near the coast. Their silvery belly and somewhat forked tail make them easy to distinguish. Found in places as far flung as Chile, Australia and Argentina, inanga are the most widely distributed native freshwater fish in the world," records DOC. They are also Aotearoa New Zealand’s most commonly caught species of whitebait. But as well as this, their population is in decline. Almost all of the Whitebait species are either in decline or threatened, hence new restrictions on catching them. If we want future generations to be able to carry on our tradition of whitebaiting, we need to preserve this previous taonga/treasure.

Whitebaiting is a favourite cherished sport and time-honoured tradition in many parts of the country, and especially at the Waiau River Mouth. Local's have whitebaited here for generations, and can tell tales of times when the beach stretched all the way along Bluecliffs, with road access and parking. In recent times the Waiau Mouth has eroded into the sea, taking a lot of land with it, forever changing the landscape of the river mouth and whitebaiting.

But the landscape at the Waiau Mouth is not the only thing that has now changed. To help protect these taonga or treasured fish species and their habitats for the future, there is now a shorter season and more set rules. For 2024 on the Waiau River in Western Murihiku Southland, the season ran between September 1 & October 30, with whitebaiting only permitted on those days between 5am to 8pm, or 6am to 9pm during daylight savings. The 2025 season is also running from 1 Sept to 30 October.

Now, each person can only have one whitebait net operating at any given time, and this must be attended at all times. The mouth of the net is not allowed to be wider than 4.5 meters. Also, you cannot fish by structures like bridges, culverts, even river junctions. This is to protect these vulnerable fish stocks. If everyone follows the rules, we can all help maintain a healthy river ecosystem, and ensure that whitebait can continue to thrive for the future.

The new regulations which have recently been put into place, are being enforced in a joint effort between Police and DoC. All whitebaiters were notified and encouraged to educate themselves on the new rules and regulations ahead of the 2024 season. It was pleasing to read in a news article from this year, that a patrol of the Waiau River in an effort to ensure adherence to the new regulations, undertaken in late August 2024, there were no reported violations of early whitebaiting. However, there were some later violations of the rules which restricts nighttime whitebaiting.

WAIAU TRUST WHITEBAIT HABITAT:
This project has a focus on the creation of rearing habitats for whitebait, which in turn, helps a diverse range of wildlife which reside or migrate to this coastal environment. According to the Waiau Trust's website (see more in Place Notes), "Adult fish spawn in vegetation at the margins of tidal wetlands and streams, during spring tides in the months of February to April. The fertilised eggs...
Central and Western Murihiku Southland Archive via DigitalNZ

http://api.digitalnz.org/records/55974925/source

#Murihiku #Southland #Hunting #GreatOutdoors #WaiauRiverMouth #TeWaewaeBay #WildFoodGathering #SouthWestCoast #WaiauDistrict #WaiauRiver #Whitebaiting #Waiau #WaiauMouth #Fishing #Whitebait #Erosion #CoastalErosion #WhitebaitHabitat #Galaxiids #Inanga #WaiauTrust #SouthCoast

Borland Lodge Pottery School - Wynnis & Judith, "Besties", various years

Photos of Borland Lodge area, taken by tutors & students at classes:

Image 1 - Judith Day at the front is showing how to put on a very ‘proper’ look, all while making pottery! (We are unsure of the other person, can you help?) Borland Lodge Pottery School, 1980
Image 2 - Wynnis helping out a fellow pottery student in the class. Borland Lodge Pottery School, 1985
Image 3 - Judith Day (left) and Wynnis Wesney (right) in the Borland Lodge Pottery School kitchen, 1991

Judith Day and Wynnis Wesney, both of the OPC or Ōtautau Potters Club were well remembered by all the still living tutors as marvellous hosts and cooks. Zola Ayson, another OPC member and one-time Secretary, recalls how herself plus Judith and Wynnis used to run the kitchen at the Pottery Schools.

In fact, several of the old Pottery School tutors remarked on the hospitality shown to them by Wynnis, who would put the tutors up at her house, both before and after the week long school. Steve Fullmer recalls bunking in a cosy room with fellow tutor David Griffith and enjoying the quaint town of Otautau, a far cry from the bustling America Steve had left. Darryl Robertson also recalls being cared for extremely well and bunking up with fellow Tutor, Ross Richards at Wynnis Wesney's in her spare room and you can read more below and in the 1988 year entry, the year Darryl tutored at the school.

Interestingly, both Wynnis and Judith's daughters spoke of growing up next door to each other, with their mum's being best friends and the children also having a lot to do with each other. There was apparently a gate through the garden from one property to the other, and if 'mum' was not at home, she could always be found at her next door best friends!

Best friends, next-door neighbours, and pottery club pals – Judith Day and Wynnis Wesney - These two would feed the crowd and joyfully join in the fun and feels. All part of the beauty of the Borland experience. Pot and RIP Judith and Wynnis, you lovely ladies, you are very much missed, by your pottery mates and especially your families. We hope you are both honoured by this commemoration done in your names.

Also on the same street at one time, was another past Secretary of the OPC, Jan Lowrey. The 'girls' (Wynnis & Judith's daughters) remember the Ōtautau Potters Club Christmas hi-jinks taking place here some years. We are hoping to still get photos of this too, they could be very interesting!

CLASS ATTENDEE CONTRIBUTIONS:
"The meals are my drawcard!" announced previous Invercargill potter Frank Checkets, who in 1986, had attended 5 of the 8 Borland Lodge Pottery Schools so far. This was proof that not all the students only came for the potting. NOTE: Frank was also a willing carpenter, ready to lend a hand to built shelters for the many kilns erected over the years, often to keep the sun out, not the rain as once might suspect.

"I am not sure about all the people who were involved with setting up the Borland Pottery School but I do remember Wynnis [Wesney] and Judith Day. They also visited me in Tasman some years ago. The huge organisation and initiative it takes to create a legend like the Borland Lodge Pottery School is amazing and I am grateful to have been a small part of it. So many of my friends and colleagues in NZ pottery have also shared the experience.” Steven Fullmer - Borland Pottery School Tutor

“A small crew of about 6 core people as I recall who put it the massive planning together, did a stellar job. Wynnis Wesney’s place where we stayed and Judith Day next door are two who spring to mind, with Peter Johnson. But there were others… who worked hard and organised so much in order for these events to happen. The kiln building and firings by the awesome Peter Johnson always on hand.

At the end of the school Wynnis took us back to her place and Ross and I had a bit of a rest, then we went on tour in the car. It was such lovely end to the week, a quiet restful drive right though Tuatapere and around the centre bush a wonderful loop. Those who needed the real rest were those Otautau wonder people who made something special happen in those years." Darryl Robertson – Borland Pottery School Tutor

MID-WEEK DAY OFF:
One of the highlights of the week long Borland Lodge School Pottery Classes was the Wednesday ‘Day off’, where they students could do whatever they wanted. Many went off to explore the surrounding wilderness, hiking up trails to lakes and rivers or mountain peaks. Others would sit quietly at the Lodge and ...
Central and Western Murihiku Southland Archive via DigitalNZ

http://api.digitalnz.org/records/52946257/source

#BorlandLodge #BorlandPotterySchool #BorlandBush #WesternSouthland #Arts #NativeBush #NatureWalks #NatureActivities #Social #JudithDay #WynnisWesney #PotterySchool #AotearoaNzPotters #Central #PotteryClubs #WaiauDistrict #Pottery #Nature #KilnBuilding #Ceramics #DigitalOnlyImageInArchive #DigitalNZ

Monowai - Power Station Works, Original Photographs of the Scheme, 1922-1925 from Arthur Warren

Monowai - Power Station Works, Original Photographs of the Scheme, 1923-1925, from Arthur Warren:

Images are the original photos from the Monowai Hydro-Electric Power Scheme construction, which was undertaken by the SEPB (Southland Electric Power Board) from the contract start in 1920 until opening in 1925. However, these photos are all from the later part of construction. Donated by Arthur Warren, his father had worked on the power project with the family growing up in Monowai Village. More photos from his large collections are still to come.

IMAGES:
1 - Workings on one of the canal structures, note the power pole to the left.
2 & 3 - The Control Gates in operation, from two different points of view.
4 & 5 - The concrete cradles that held the pipeline and the pipeline in place. When this pipe was filled in October 1924, flattening occurred, some cradles broke; this was to be rectified by erecting double cradles in those places.
6 - The Power Station itself starts taking shape, it was completed Oct 1924.
7 - Effects of flooding Lake Monowai start to be seen after this happened.
8 - Arthur Warren (centre) busy telling us all stories about the Monowai Scheme at the Centennial, 1 May 2025, CC BY to CWA. Cheers Arthur! (and apologies from us at CWArchives that Arthur is slightly out of focus in this)

SITE HISTORY:
The Southland Electric Power Board was formed in 1919, with the Monowai Power Station firmly in their sights. This was a project that had massive potential to transform the lives of everyone across the Southland region, from manufacturers to those on farms, their workers and especially residential households. But due to a couple of failures in the early stages and a later delay after severe flooding, it would be five years in the making.

Firstly, there was the issue of getting machinery to the site. So, the Monowai Bridge was specifically made at Sunny side to transport both machinery and materials across the Waiau River, to the Monowai Power Station works at Lake Monowai. After the bridge was opened, construction of the Monowai Power Scheme started in 1921 but it was during 1923 that the most of the work was undertaken, the station was not commissioned until 1924.

Two of the eventually three turbines were running and current was being generated by the end of 1924. The Monowai power plant went on to transform especially rural life and that of farms, as some cities such as Invercargill already had a Steam Driven Power Plant before this. Finally in April, the invitations went out for the official opening of Monowai Hydro-Electric Scheme on 1st May 1925. It is this date that is being celebrated as the Centennial for Monowai.

Until 1939 the Monowai station was a vital and main power source to the whole Murihiku Southland district (until linked to the national power grid). It was later considered to be the 2nd smallest power station of the earlier NZ electricity department but of high importance for the people of Southland.

OFFICIAL OPENING DATE:
The official date of opening was 1 May 2025, although the Station had been operating for some months at that time, and it is this day that is being celebrated as the Monowai 100th or Centennial. It is fabulous that we have this rich history from the Warren family, whose ancestor helped to make this magic happen for us. Arthur says his mum was at the 50th Jubilee that was held in the village and we will be putting up photos of this event soon too..

Some time after the Monowai Power Station was officially opened on 1 May 1925 by the Southland Electric Power Board, they experienced financial difficulties, so it was bought by the Government in 1936. Up until the Southland network was linked to the national power grid in 1939, the Monowai Station was vital to the whole Murihiku Southland disitrict, as its main power source. Pioneer bought Monowai Station off Trustpower in December 2002, and still own it currently; they also own other power stations across the south.

It would be wonderful if more people contributed memories, photos and other memorabilia to add to the story and history of these life-altering project works of the Monowai Power Scheme. If you can help with this, please comment in the section under this image page, or contact us.
Central and Western Murihiku Southland Archive via DigitalNZ

http://api.digitalnz.org/records/58727631/source

#WaiauDistrict #PowerStations #Monowai #Road #TransportOrVehicles #Infrastructure #EnergyProduction #WaiauRiver #SouthlandElectricPowerBoard #HydroElectricityProduction #WarrenFamily #Sepb #MonowaiScheme #PowerStation #HydroScheme #LakeMonowai #DigitalFileCopiesOfOriginals #DigitalNZ

Monowai - Power Station Works, 50th Jubilee Event in 1975, from Arthur Warren

Monowai - Power Station Works, 50th Jubilee Event in 1975, from Arthur Warren, gifted to our Community Archive at the 100th Centennial, 1 May 2025:

Images from Monowai 50th Jubilee event in 1975, with Arthur Warren's mother, Annie (nee Poultney); sadly his father who had worked on the Monowai project had passed away just a couple of years earlier in 1973. These photos have been kindly donated by Arthur Warren; the family grew up in Monowai Village and have many memories and photographs of these happy times. More images from Warren's large collections are still to come.

IMAGES:
Photo 1, page 1 - Annie Warren and Mrs Walker (oldest person) with cake
Photo 2, page 1 - Unveiling the 50th Jubilee Plaque in Monowai Village
Photo 3, page 1 - Miss & Mrs Walker at the start of the Jubilee speeches
Photo 4, page 1 - 50th Jubilee Camp Site at Borland Lodge
Photo 5, page 1 - 50th Jubilee Plaque on a rock, with Debbie behind it
Photo 6, page 1 - Main Road of Monowai at the time of the 50th Jubilee
Photo of Page 1 - A copy of the whole page of the above 6 photos
Photo 1, page 2 - A Ribbon from the 50th Golden Jubilee Event
Photo 2, page 2 - Annie Warren with her friends Mr & Mrs Clayton
Photo 3, page 2 - Group of Annie Warrens old friends at Borland Lodge
Photo 4, page 2 - The Monowai 50th Jubilee Event cake & Mrs Walker
Photo of Page 2 - A copy of the whole page of the above 4 photos

SITE HISTORY:
The Southland Electric Power Board was formed in 1919, with the Monowai Power Station firmly in their sights. This was a project that had massive potential to transform the lives of everyone across the Southland region, from manufacturers to those on farms, their workers and especially residential households. But due to a couple of failures in the early stages and a later delay after severe flooding, it would be five years in the making.

Firstly, there was the issue of getting machinery to the site. So, the Monowai Bridge was specifically made at Sunny side to transport both machinery and materials across the Waiau River, to the Monowai Power Station works at Lake Monowai. After the bridge was opened, construction of the Monowai Power Scheme started in 1921 but it was during 1923 that the most of the work was undertaken, the station was not commissioned until 1924.

Two of the eventually three turbines were running and current was being generated by the end of 1924. The Monowai power plant went on to transform especially rural life and that of farms, as some cities such as Invercargill already had a Steam Driven Power Plant before this. Finally in April, the invitations went out for the official opening of Monowai Hydro-Electric Scheme on 1st May 1925. It is this date that is being celebrated as the Centennial for Monowai.

Until 1939 the Monowai station was a vital and main power source to the whole Murihiku Southland district (until linked to the national power grid). It was later considered to be the 2nd smallest power station of the earlier NZ electricity department but of high importance for the people of Southland.

OFFICIAL OPENING DATE:
The official date of opening was 1 May 2025, although the Station had been operating for some months at that time, and it is this day that is being celebrated as the Monowai 100th or Centennial. It is fabulous that we have this rich history from the Warren family, whose ancestor helped to make this magic happen for us. Arthur says his mum was at the 50th Jubilee that was held in the village and we will be putting up photos of this event soon too..

Some time after the Monowai Power Station was officially opened on 1 May 1925 by the Southland Electric Power Board, they experienced financial difficulties, so it was bought by the Government in 1936. Up until the Southland network was linked to the national power grid in 1939, the Monowai Station was vital to the whole Murihiku Southland disitrict, as its main power source. Pioneer bought Monowai Station off Trustpower in December 2002, and still own it currently; they also own other power stations across the south.

It would be wonderful if more people contributed memories, photos and other memorabilia to add to the story and history of these life-altering project works of the Monowai Power Scheme. If you can help with this, please comment in the section under this image page, or contact us.
Central and Western Murihiku Southland Archive via DigitalNZ

http://api.digitalnz.org/records/58727632/source

#WaiauDistrict #PowerStations #Monowai #Road #TransportOrVehicles #Infrastructure #EnergyProduction #WaiauRiver #SouthlandElectricPowerBoard #HydroElectricityProduction #WarrenFamily #JubileeCelebrations #DigitalFileCopiesOfOriginals

#TūātapereBranchLineRailwayClosed
#OTD #EndOfAnEra #WaiauDistrict #DoYouHaveMemoriesOfThis?
#CentralAndWesternDistrictsHeritage
From our online collection files: official photo of the opening of the Tūātapere Branch Railway and Station, on 23 Sept 1909 along with an article about the Tūātapere Branch Line Railway closure back to Aparima Riverton on this day in 1976. Read much more history of this topic in our online collections entry, by visiting the site shown here:
https://ehive.com/collections/202139/objects/1669523

If you look at this photo from the 1980's and see the same scene today, you could be forgiven for thinking that not much changes on the Main Road through Tūātapere... but if you track the history of the buildings and various owners and businesses, you may be surprised to learn there have been quite a few over the many years:

#Tūātapere #WaiauDistrict
#Murihiku #Southland #Aotearoa #NZRuralLife
#IdyllicVillageScenes
#CentralAndWesternArchive

https://ehive.com/collections/202139/objects/1645607/tuatapere-history-old-main-road-shops-from-bridge-to-ferry-road-corner

An article on the history of the forestry industry in #Tūātapere, at the end of #Highway99 from last century... Gosh it sounds a long time ago when you put it like that! Fascinating insights into rural community life and stubborn resilience. This archive was gifted with special thanks to the #HumpTrackTrust. Read full article .pdf here: https://ehive.com/collections/202139/objects/1610322
#SharingCommunityHeritage
#HistoryBelongsToEveryone
#WaiauDistrict
#Murihiku
#Southland
#Forestry
#Logging
#RuralCommunities
#NZRuralLife

#Museum30 Day14 Today's topic is #Winter or #Makariri in Māori #NZTwits #Aotearoa #History #Murihiku #Southland #NZ
#Waiau #Ōtautau #Archives
#CentralWesternSouthland #GLAM #CommunityHistory #digipres

Some great winter or makariri scenes from #EasternBush in #WaiauDistrict. These photos from the Mouat Family property are now part of our community history collections in the new Central & Western Murihiku Southland Archive, check out more here: https://ehive.com/collections/202139/objects/1564623/eastern-bush-properties-braeview-in-mouat-ownership-1905-2004

Can't seem to post photo!

#Museum30 Day12 Today's topic is #Tools or #Pāraharaha (or more specifically, "a tool made of iron") in Māori #NZTwits #Aotearoa #History #Murihiku #Southland #NZ
#Waiau #Ōtautau #Archives
#CentralWesternSouthland #GLAM #CommunityHistory #digipres

Tools or pāraharaha being used to repair the #EasternBush Church in #WaiauDistrict. These photos are now part of our community history collections in the new Central & Western Murihiku Southland Archive, check out more here: https://ehive.com/collections/202139/objects/1598095/eastern-bush-district-presbyterian-church-history-church-repairs

Some of you may remember how I was contacting a magazine to see if they would allow our preservation copy of an old article on our community which is still under #Copyright, to be put in the public archive and astonishingly they agreed, so here it is (the indexing alone took me nearly a whole day!)

#CentralAndWesternArchive
#Highway99 #Aotearoa #NZTwits
#Heritage #SmallTownCulture
#SocioEconomics #Murihiku
#Southland #WesternSouthland
#Tūātapere #WaiauDistrict #NZ
https://ehive.com/collections/202139/objects/1610322/tuatapere-history-a-journey-to-the-end-of-highway-99-magazine-article?fbclid=IwAR3MJ6HSL1H6FtOKZZeYxLfqwWmo0ZXL-4hN1o1OY5OtJbuyVDSdKZng5gY

#Museum30 Day4 Today's topic is #Record or #Mauhanga in Māori #NZTwits #Aotearoa #History #Murihiku #Southland #NZ
#Waiau #Ōtautau #Archives
#CentralWesternSouthland #GLAM #CommunityHistory #digipres

Record or mauhanga from the #EasternBush #Store #PostOffice #AccommodationHouse in the #WaiauDistrict, part of our local Central & Western heritage collection, digitised by the Central & Western Murihiku Southland Archive. Check out the history of these early buildings here: https://ehive.com/collections/202139/objects/1603194/eastern-bush-store-mouat-ownership-1905-2004

#Museum30 Day3 Today's topic is #Fragment or #Ngota in Māori #NZTwits #Aotearoa #History #Murihiku #Southland #NZ
#Waiau #Ōtautau #Archives
#CentralWesternSouthland #GLAM #CommunityHistory #digipres

Photo of the only fragment or ngota left of the #EasternBush #AccommodationHouse in the #WaiauDistrict, part of our local Central & Western heritage collection, digitised by the Central & Western Murihiku Southland Archive. Check out the history of this early building here: https://ehive.com/collections/202139/objects/1601845/eastern-bush-hotel-store-post-office-mouat-ownership-1905-2004