The Catlins will take on a nautical theme next month when a book, art exhibition, model ship unveiling and concert are all launched and staged in the area.
Collectively branded as "Catlins Bound" the November 14 event will involve a series of events at the Owaka Museum during the afternoon before an evening community concert at the Owaka Memorial Community Centre.
As organiser Mary Sutherland said yesterday, Catlins Bound will be an event combining art, craftsmanship, literature, music and history, plus "a fine example of the strength of the local Catlins community."
Owaka builder Mike McPhee has penned the book Catlins Bound, a history of the ships his great-grandfather, William McPhee, built in the 1860s and 1870s.
His 11 ketches and schooners were built in the Catlins and Stewart Island and carried timber to Dunedin and the Hokitika gold rush, went sealing in the sub-Antarctic Islands and brought kauri from Auckland.
Illustrated with historical photographs, original paintings and with snippets from the newspapers of the day, the book also includes new art work by Owaka artist Fergus Sutherland, who will exhibit his work with the book launch at 2pm.
The shipping theme will continue when a new scale-model of Mr McPhee's Owake ship will be unveiled.
Made by Robin Watkins, of Dunedin, the ship will feature along with Mr Sutherland's exhibition at the museum.
The fourth part of the event will be the presence of Auckland-based Maritime Crew, whose new CD will be included in Mr McPhee's book.
The group's Catlins Bound CD has taken its inspiration from the new book.
The group will launch its southern series of concerts with a performance at the Owaka Memorial Community Centre at 7.30pm.
It also plans concerts in Invercargill, Niagara, Balclutha, Bluff, Stewart Island, Gore, Riverton and Dunedin.
