Alexander Campbell Begg was awarded a custom Hardy split cane fishing rod as recognition for his many years of service to the Otago Acclimatisation Society as its president in January 1894.
Lal Mulligan, Mr Begg’s great-granddaughter, said she had only recently discovered she had such a valuable rod in her possession.Ms Mulligan looked up the number engraved on the rod in Hardy’s rod numbering system online, where she discovered its rarity.
Ms Mulligan said she understood the acclimatisation society "did good and bad".
"I read about my great-grandfather discussing whether we should import Tasmanian black possums or New South Wales brown possums.
"It was quite a contentious issue," she said.
"That was in December 1874 on the Leith with some of his friends," she said.
Once she shared the news with her family, they decided to bring the rod to Dunedin and give the heirloom to the museum.
"This is the place it should be," Ms Mulligan said.
"We all agreed it should come here, back home."
James Barclay, the great-grandson of Mr Begg and a retired farmer, said the rod was "very unique".
"It’s split cane. You can’t get that now. It’s very rare.
"It’s incredibly good wood and it’s got to be preserved."
His great-grandfather had "an impact on us all", Mr Barclay said.
