History posted at head of the lake

Glenorchy Heritage and Museum Group committee members, from left, Amanda Hasselman, Leslie Van Gelder, Sharon Aitken, Alan Temple and John Richards with their new museum outpost at Kinloch; at left is a Lilliput library. Photo: Mountain Scene
Glenorchy Heritage and Museum Group committee members, from left, Amanda Hasselman, Leslie Van Gelder, Sharon Aitken, Alan Temple and John Richards with their new museum outpost at Kinloch; at left is a Lilliput library. Photo: Mountain Scene
A unique wooden outpost, depicting the history of Kinloch, near Glenorchy, has been unveiled.

The museum outpost, the first of several planned at the head of the lake, is the idea of the Glenorchy Heritage and Museum Group, which is also planning a heritage centre in Glenorchy.

Local Mike Kingan built the Kinloch structure from timber salvaged from pioneer Bill Grant’s cottage – he ran a nearby mill in the 19th century – and from his daughter Rosie Grant’s cottages, which were taken down this year.

Group chair Leslie Van Gelder says: “We figured you don’t come up to Glenorchy to be indoors, so we wanted people to feel like the history is exactly where they are.”

The outpost’s been a team effort, she says, with members digitising photos from the group’s collection and designing and writing information panels.

“And nobody has charged their real rate.”

Van Gelder estimates it’s cost $6000 to $7000, raised principally from an historical film night it hosted last year.

Some great artifacts have also been sourced, like a hat worn by one of pioneer tourist operator Harry Bryant’s bus drivers.

Thanks to Glenorchy Book Group, a Lilliput library’s also attached to the outpost.

The group’s now working on outposts to mark the building of the Glenorchy Road and the area’s Maori history.

It also hopes in the next year or two to get underway with the heritage centre, on land near Glenorchy Hall gifted by local philanthropists – it’ll also be an outdoor structure.

scoop@scene.co.nz

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