It was a big day out in Otago for Miss Clark, who flew to Dunedin after opening the new Motatapu track, between Wanaka and Arrowtown. She walked part of the track with Canadian singer - and sometime Wanaka ‘‘resident'' - Shania Twain.
After arriving in Dunedin, Miss Clark was guest speaker at the opening of the Fabulous Frock Exhibition at the Otago Settlers Museum.
Despite speculation she would make an important announcement during her Dunedin visit, the news still drew gasps of surprise and cheers from the 250 people gathered.
Otago Settlers Association president Dr Dorothy Page described the grant as ‘‘an exciting early birthday present''. The museum is due to celebrate its centenary next week.
‘‘I'm absolutely delighted. This will enable us to treasure the artefacts, documents and fabrics that we have, and it will enable us to display them and enhance the visitor experience,'' Dr Page said.
‘‘The grant will also help the museum to develop a new tourist and heritage precinct, which incorporates the railway station and the Chinese garden.''
The grant will be spread evenly over four years and go towards a new two-storey collection storage building and the refurbishment of the museum's existing heritage buildings.
Miss Clark said the Otago Settlers Museum had significant collections of about 50,000 important objects documenting the early arrival of European and Chinese settlers.
The first installment of $1.5 million will be made this year with subsequent allocations confirmed annually, subject to the project progressing to plan.
The cost of the redevelopment project is estimated to total $34 million, with the Dunedin City Council contributing $21 million.
