A sawmill more than 100 years old, brought in 1975 to Waimate from Owaka, where it had been derelict, has now been restored to working order and housed under a large shed in a project that has so far cost more than $200,000.
Sir Jerry alone was to unveil a plaque marking the official opening of the sawmill, named after its owner who donated it, Bill O'Donnell.
But, much to Mr O'Donnell's surprise, Sir Jerry invited him up and they both removed a sack covering the plaque.
Bushtown started in 2004, when a group of local people got together with the idea to create a heritage park that recognised the importance of timber to the district's birth, when totara forests were logged.
By 1878, there were five large sawmills operating around Waimate and timber was its lifeblood. However, a huge fire in November 1878, destroyed the bush.
Sir Jerry described Bushtown as an asset and ''special treasure'', both for Waimate and its visitors.
Before the ceremony, Mr O'Donnell produced his 1975 diary for the Otago Daily Times, which recorded July 15 as the day he bought the sawmill, originally used by Wrey Brothers but derelict.
He shifted it to Waituna, where he got it going again, powered initially by a traction engine and later a diesel engine.
It was leased for 10 years until 1985 by Len Shaw, operated as Waituna Lumber and then Shaw's Lumber, when he opened a lumber yard in Waimate.
It was used mainly to cut macrocarpa and a small amount of pine.
In 1985, safety and other regulations made the sawmill's operation impossible and it remained unused until Mr O'Donnell gave it to Bushtown in 2004.
Volunteers restored the sawmill and it ran again for the first time in July 2011. About a year ago, a start was made to build a shed over it, using traditional construction methods.
Sir Jerry also planted a totara tree and opened a walkway bridge dedicated to Doug Bailey.
