Descendants of the Kennard family are flooding into Waikouaiti and Dunedin this weekend to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the family's arrival in Otago.
William and Maria Kennard were one of 14 families brought to Waikouaiti from Sydney, in 1840, aboard the brig Magnet by landowner John Jones, to work his land.
The families established the Waikouaiti community, one of the first European settlements in Otago.
Descendants of the Kennard family began celebrations last night with a gathering and supper at the St Clair Women's Club in Dunedin.
Today, they will take a bus tour through Karitane, Waikouaiti, Goodwood and Palmerston to visit areas of significance in the family's history.
This includes the site of the family's farmhouse at Goodwood and the family gravestones at the Palmerston cemetery.
The group will then meet other descendants of Magnet settlers at an evening dinner in the East Otago Events Centre in Waikouaiti.
Waikouaiti Coast Heritage Centre curator and event organiser Kay Lang said about 150 guests were expected at the dinner, including Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull, former Waikouaiti mayor Pat Heckler (94) and descendants of seven families who were aboard Magnet.
Sunday will begin with a church service at the First Church in Dunedin, followed by a visit to Toitu Otago Settlers Museum and a visit to Halfway Bush, where William and Maria Kennard lived later in their life.
