Water wheel spurs promise

Former North Otago man Richard Pringle is prepared to give $10,000 towards the restoration of the old water wheel on Old Mill Rd in Oamaru.

Mr Pringle (65), who has lived in Australia since the 1970s, said this week he believed the water wheel could be repaired and developed into a tourist attraction.

The 10m-diameter water wheel, a remnant of the Phoenix Flour Mill, was installed in 1878. Its 84 iron buckets were made at the local foundry of Jack, Steel and Hendry. The mill building was removed in 1905.

Mr Pringle, who grew up at Maheno, said he had always been fascinated with water wheels and he even built a 3m-high one in Australia. He believed the water wheel at Old Mill Rd was the largest in the Southern Hemisphere which, in itself, would be a drawcard.

‘‘I believe it's [his proposal] a goer. I think everybody would be impressed with it,'' he said. He felt the surrounding area could be tidied up, with tree plantings and a lake developed.

During his regular trips to New Zealand, he would look at the water wheel rusting away. He said it was a shame to see it sitting derelict. Mr Pringle, who has been retired for three years, arrived in New Zealand last Thursday for a month's holiday.

He was prepared to give $10,000 to ‘‘get the ball rolling'' and, if anyone else wanted to ‘‘jump on the water wheel'', they could contact the Otago Daily Times in Oamaru, for his details.

The Waitaki District Council confirmed the water wheel was on reserve land. It would not comment until it had discussed Mr Pringle's suggestion with him.