It's an unlikely collection of vehicles. Or an unlikely place for such a collection. Or perhaps both. Alina Suchanski explains.
A New Zealand flag proudly flying on a 9m pole at the bottom of Gorge Hill on State Highway 94 between Te Anau and Mossburn is hard to miss.
It marks the entrance to the property of Tina and Duncan McGregor.
Tina is a professional photographer and Duncan runs McGregor Concrete, a family business set up 48 years ago by his father Duncan and uncle Donald McGregor.
Screened from the road by a row of tall poplars, their unpretentious house looks somewhat incongruous with its carefully maintained, park-like grounds fit for a mansion.
Two large sheds add to the pastoral appearance of the 4ha property looking out on the Takitimu Mountains. But rather than tractors and farm machinery, these buildings hold a surprise for an unprepared visitor.
With a combined floor area of more than 800sq m, the sheds are home to the Fiordland Military Vehicles Museum, set up and fully owned by the McGregors.
As you step into these buildings you are transported back in time to the first half of last century.
Wartime trucks, jeeps and tanks, all lovingly restored, fill the space in neat rows.
Visual displays portraying bunkers and sandbagged trenches add to the atmosphere of World War 2.
When you start talking to Tina and Duncan it immediately becomes apparent where their hearts are.
Their eyes light up as they talk about World War 2 history, about which Duncan in particular is very knowledgeable.
With all five of their children gone from the nest, the museum is now their baby, consuming much time, attention and love.
Duncan's interest in history dates back to Anzac Day commemorations he attended as a young boy.
''I have always liked the look of GMC trucks since I was a boy - the fact that they were a war truck and had good off-road ability.
Tina and I were discussing hobbies, and I decided that I would look out for a GMC.
One turned up at an auction in Luggate, in May 2006, so I bought it,'' he says.
''Later that year we purchased a Jeep. Then an avalanche started,'' his wife adds.
She admits her interest in war memorabilia developed initially because of Duncan, but over time it became a passion of her own.
Today, their impressive collection includes 25 military vehicles, six trailers, two bulldozers, one dragline (crane/excavator) and numerous other historic military items.
''A few people have large private collections, but ours is unique for several reasons - the number and range of styles of the vehicles, the way they have been restored, the fact they are all in running order, the way they are displayed and the environment in which they are presented,'' Tina says.
The most prized items in their collection are a White M3A1 4WD armoured Scout Car and a Dodge Command car.
Also in their collection is an M113 armoured personnel carrier on loan from the National Army Museum in Waiouru.
Mr McGregor said he had restored or done work on about 80% of his vehicles.
''It means a lot of cold nights in the shed,'' he says, ''but only when Tina is away. I don't like taking time away from my family for this.''
He has five trucks under restoration at the moment, but his latest project is a 1942 D8 Caterpillar Bulldozer that was recently donated to the museum.
Duncan admits it needs much work, but is a welcome addition to the collection, as at 18 tonnes it's much bigger than the 3-tonne bulldozer they already had.
The McGregors are members of the New Zealand Military Vehicle Collectors Club (NZMVCC), whose 200 members are committed to restoring, preserving, operating and displaying ex-military wheeled, tracked and stationary machines.
Their annual rally is held each year in different locations in New Zealand.
Duncan and Tina are happy to make their collection available to the public, but they like to share it in a controlled way.
Their museum is open to groups by appointment only. According to Tina, since the museum opened in 2009, more than a thousand people have gone through.
''We have hosted war veterans, scout groups, various vintage car clubs, Probus and Rotary groups,'' Duncan says.
''The biggest group we've had here was 55 people.''
The McGregors use every opportunity to show their vehicles to the public, taking them to Anzac parades and Armistice Day commemorations every year.
They also attend the War Birds over Wanaka events.
Their massive anti-aircraft reflector light swept the sky with its powerful bright beam at Te Anau Winter Illuminations.
This year they went to Normandy, France for the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of D-day, on June 6.
It was not their first trip, as they attended the 65th anniversary five years ago.
They also visited other places of significance in New Zealand war history, including Gallipoli in Turkey and Arnhem in the Netherlands.
The McGregors' dedication to New Zealand's military history was recognised in 2013 when they received a NZMVCC Merit Award for their initiative in preserving New Zealand's military history and making it available to all.
