A monument to the man who pioneered this country's meat export trade is flying a crisp new flag.
Replacing the old New Zealand flag and rope that had been shredded by high winds was no mean feat. The flag sits atop the Brydone Monument, a stone edifice on a hill at Totara Estate, just south of Oamaru.
It is named after Thomas Brydone, the estate manager who, with William Davidson, organised the first shipment of frozen meat sent to England in 1882. The cargo of carcasses was prepared at Totara Estate and sailed from Port Chalmers.
The monument was completed in 1907.
''The stone monument is about 10m high and the flagpole is around 5m high,'' Totara Estate property manager Anne Sutherland said.
''The only way to reach the flag if damaged it is to get a four-wheel-drive cherry picker over the paddock and up the hill, together with a brave soul who is not afraid of heights.''
Enter Network Waitaki Contracting representative Steve McMurtrie with the cherry picker and electrician Graeme Clark with a head for heights.
They joined forces with the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga personnel at Totara Estate to replace the rope and flag on September 6.
Courtesy of Network Waitaki, the monument is floodlit at nights - ''a great landmark we all enjoy seeing'', Ms Sutherland said.
Totara Estate has reopened for the new season, welcoming visitors from 10am to 4pm each day. As well as exploring many of the original farm buildings and facilities, visitors can walk up to the monument for a panoramic view of North Otago.
- by Sally Brooker