Recording Otago’s history

HERITAGE sites are being identified around Otago to improve the archaeological understanding of the province.

Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust (OGHT) secretary and projects manager Terry Davis said historical reviews by the trust, which has its office in Cromwell, would benefit the local community in many ways.

Those include informing funding decisions and priorities for restoration projects, and identifying potential educational, business and tourism opportunities.

It was important to record all known sites, he said.

As part of the project Absolute Archaeology, director Shar Briden has been leading a team of student volunteers around Millers Flat to upgrade site records the New Zealand Archaeological Association holds on the website ArchSite.

Teviot Museum trustee Peter

Macdougall recently showed them around several sites near Millers Flat.

‘‘We are going to be recording sites that haven’t been recorded before as well,’’ Ms Briden said.

‘‘Some of those are stone barns, workman’s cottages, cook shops — a lot of the pastoral history is really important.’’

Mr Davis said a lot of historical sites were added to the archaeological association’s database in the 1970s and ’80s.

Central government funding was also offered in the early 2000s to update records but the Otago Regional Council of the time turned it down, ‘‘saying we have no heritage sites’’, Mr Davis said.

About three years ago, Central

Lakes Trust and Heritage New Zealand asked the OGHT to manage a ‘‘Heritage Sites Review’’ for Central Otago and the Southern Lakes areas.

‘‘They had lots of people applying for funding but they didn’t have the information they needed to make their decisions,’’ Mr Davis said.

The review also offered a greater understanding of heritage resources for landowners, councils and funding bodies.

That would be beneficial to landowners who were looking to develop their land, and could also identify sites for educational, business or tourism opportunities.

It would also be helpful for student archaeologists by giving them ‘‘hours and hours of experience they wouldn’t otherwise get.’’

‘‘We are so appreciative that the landowners allow us to do this,’’ Mr Davis said.

PHOTOS: TRACIE BARRETT Shearing on a massive scale . . . The ruins of the Teviot Station woolshed still shelter sheep. Built in the early 1800s of sandstone, wood and Otago schist, the 140stand shed was at the time the largest singlestorey woolshed in the southern hemisphere.

Tales of bygone days . . . Teviot Museum trustee Peter Macdougall regales archaeology student Hannah Moffat with stories of the trains that once stopped at Teviot Station.