The Tuapeka Goldfields Museum presented the certificate to Lawrence man Ernie McCraw during a small ceremony attended by family, friends and officials at the Lawrence rest-home on Monday.
Museum chairwoman Kelly Aitken said the museum had wanted to mark Mr McCraw’s long-standing and wide-ranging contributions to local heritage efforts after learning he had recently entered the rest-home due to failing health.
"Ernie has been a tireless worker for local heritage projects both at the museum and vintage club, and in researching and recording the history of gold-mining in the district.
"After he partially retired from farming about 25 years ago, he’s been a quiet and gentlemanly mainstay of many local groups, and we wanted him to be able to enjoy this acknowledgement while he was still able."
In 2009, Mr McCraw told the Otago Daily Times he planned to write a book about key local figure Gabriel Read, who discovered gold in what came to be known as Gabriel’s Gully in 1861.
The book was published in time for the 150th anniversary of that discovery, in 2011, entitled Gabriel Read of Gabriel’s Gully.
"Ernie did years of meticulous research on Read and his discovery, and the subsequent history of the various techniques to extract gold from the area, from dredging to stamper batteries," Mrs Aitken said.
"His research included travelling to Read’s birthplace in Tasmania, from where he sailed to New Zealand in February 1861."
"He knows all the best spots for gold panning locally, and has always manned the gold-panning exhibit at the Lawrence Heritage Day, helping visitors and youngsters find a speck or two."
Mr Anderson said he had been instrumental in helping reinstate paths and signage in Gabriel’s Gully after it became overgrown in the early 2000s.
"He’s been a quiet, dedicated contributor to anything asked of him, and is extremely knowledgeable on the gold rush history locally.
"I’m glad he’s got some appreciation for everything he’s done for Lawrence over the years."
