History brought to life

Volunteers at Totara Estate south of Oamaru are helping bring the historic site alive each morning this summer.

Yvonne Walker is pictured knitting, one of the activities designed to show visitors how things were done in the 19th century.

The activity-oriented programme was devised to help attract more visitors to the birthplace of New Zealand's frozen meat industry.

Visitors can also expect to come across a blacksmith at work, a swagger telling tales, butter being made, washing being done the old-fashioned way or a cook making peanut brownies, depending on what day they visited.