Fiordland College principal Steven Mustor said the college’s 50th jubilee at the weekend would take place “in that sort of classic Te Anau way — relatively informal”.
There are 134 registrations and about 150 attending the dinner, and the weekend will focus on reconnecting former staff and students.
Activities for former staff and pupils will include a school tour, barbecue and plenty of social time.
“Basically, what the organisers are trying to do is just get the staff, former staff, former students all together to have a catch-up.”
The school draws its roll from Te Anau and the wider Fiordland area, including the rural communities and families connected to tourism and conservation work.
The school opened with a roll of 233 students and 19 staff — its current roll is 310 students and about 40 staff.
The school has produced notable graduates in the past five decades, including politicians, actors, professionals and an All Black.
Mr Mustor said staff and student numbers had fluctuated over the past 50 years, but the school’s roll had tracked steadily upward since 2022.
“Our roll has steadily grown from about 265 when I started . . . it’s quite a big shift.”
He believes growth in the tourism and hospitality industry and the Department of Conservation workforce were key drivers in population growth.
“There’s so much housing popping up all over the place.”
The landscape surrounding the school had significantly changed in the past 50 years.
“It was essentially just the school and bare paddocks all around us . . . now it’s all housing.”
Despite the township being surveyed for settlement in 1893, significant population growth did not occur until the construction of the Milford Road and opening of the Homer Tunnel in 1953-54 .
The township’s first school for years 1-6 opened in 1937; a secondary school option did not exist until 1976.
Mr Mustor said until Fiordland College opened, the nearest secondary school was 20km away in the Manapouri township.
He believes the region’s original secondary school was located at Manapouri to support the families linked to the influx of temporary construction staff working on the Manapouri Hydro project between 1963 and 1971.
Te Anau now had strong multi-generational ties.
“Probably 40% of our parents were here.
“A big chunk of our community ... sticks around and carries on.”
- Toni McDonald
