Queenstown celebrates pioneers

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By Illustrations on Mon, 15 Feb 2010
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Rosemary Marryatt (69), of Waikanae, great-granddaughter of William Rees, and Adrienne Von Tunzelmann (63), of Tauranga, great-grandniece of Nicholas von Tunzelmann. 'Earnslaw', the America's Cup yacht 'NZL14', 'Murata', and other craft gave a marine salute to Rees and von Tunzelmann descendants. Broadcaster Dougal Stevenson (right) plays Lake Wakatipu Mail editor James B Bradshaw to tell the public the story of Rees and von Tunzelmann. A crowd of 60 Wakatipu residents followed in a re-enactment of the pioneers' horse trek. A stop at the Frankton boatshed to hear Dougal Stevenson (right) tell the next chapter in Rees and von Tunzelmann's arrival. School pupils (back row) Mitchell McFarlane (10), Gracyn Liscom (9), Sienna Strachan (10), Bella Park (10), Lily Yochay (10) and Philip Liscom (12); (middle row), Joshua Swain (8), Sarah Dawson (6), Charlotte Ramsey (9), Alesha McFarlane (8) and Ella Gutschlag (9); (front row) Kendall Liscom (8), James Simpson (10), Molly the dog (4) and Jakob Newell (9). Heritage fans walk the route intrepid explorers Rees and Von Tunzelmann rode on horseback to Queenstown Bay 150 years ago. John Cushen, of Queenstown, demonstrates Victorian-era cricket dressed as cricket legend Dr William Gilbert Grace, godson of Queenstown pioneer William Gilbert Rees. History buff Brian Bayley, costumed as a Gold Rush era trapper, handed a rabbit as a gift to Queenstown Lakes Deputy Mayor John Wilson, dressed as a Victorian dignitory. Wanaka actors (from left) son Bene Schwarz, father John Schwarz, neice Katarina Schwarz and Jilly Pugh play colourful historical characters from the Wakatipu's past. Broadcaster Dougal Stevenson (right) presents Queenstown Lakes Deputy Mayor John S Wilson with a map of where Rees and Von Tunzelmann travelled. David Mace fellow Freemasons, welcomes the public inside the historic Lake Lodge of Ophir No 85. The history of Freemasonry in Queenstown was revealed outside Lake Lodge of Ophir No 85, on Marine Pde, on Saturday. Celebration steering committee (from left) Lindsay Singleton, David Beatson, Revell Buckham, Rt Rev Dr David Coles, Sue Mavor and Brian Bayley, at St Peter's Church. Descendants of Rees great-great-great-grandson Bevan Haworth with daughter India Haworth (12) and wife Ilona Haworth, of Queenstown; great-granddaughter Rosemary Marryatt (69), of Waikanae, and great-granddaughter Andreé Sands, of Auckland, in front of Rees's statue. Kieran Condon (left) and Brian Dagg lead the re-enactment of the pioneer settlers' horse trek from Kawarau Falls to Queenstown Bay.
 

Queenstown celebrates the 150th anniversary of the arrival in the area of pioneer settlers William Gilbert Rees and Nicholas von Tunzelmann. Photos by James Beech; prints available from otagoimages.co.nz.

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