The newly restored (by Keith Hinds) 1920's benchseat - a classic simple design of macracarpa slats bolted onto iron legs, has now been installed on the edge of the Cooper's Terrace settlement site. I was there with other volunteers, but selflessly took a back seat, pardon the pun, to let the guys do the heavy lifting. Ha. Some of us then did take the opportunity to be the first to sit on it while we devoured Karen's yummy fruitcake. (see below). It's just a seat . . . . . yet it has taken hours of admin work from me, lining up the funders, negotiating with Department of Conservation, media etc. And couldn't have happened without Keith Hinds, who worked hard on every aspect of the project. Nomad Safaris - Queenstown adventure company - generously paid for the contracted out work on the seat, yet unpaid hours from volunteers were instrumental in making it happen. This is a thing. Volunteers are what keeps the heart of this country beating and this is an example. Worth every ounce of my efforts to see that seat facing the Arrow River, knowing that it will ease many a weary backside as visitors wander through the once bustling remains of the settlement at Cooper's Terrace. The 2023 Season It was wonderful to be back on site at Cooper's Terrace, especially to see the new sign that had been put up by volunteer Alan Sutton - paid for by Bayleys Arrowtown. That sign has been a game-changer, drawing people off the walking track down to us, saying " We had no idea this was here...!" The 4 week long season at Cooper's Terrace this year turned up exciting finds which capped a successful season on site. Despite myself and Keith Hinds, the heritage Stonemason - both finally getting covid, just one week in. We lost 8 days work. Keith had a mild response, I went all out and succumbed to a vicious viral attack featuring hallucinations and delirium and left me the rest of the season weak and basically dead-on-my-feet. Nevertheless, we had work to do, so I made it up on site when I could stand without falling over (all fine now, thank goodness). Luckily Keith could go up and work on stabilising the stonewalls without me at times, although we had lost valuable time and he didn't do all he needed to do. So we will have to return next year to finish off. Working Bees: I put out a flyer to advertise a Working Bee for 3 Sundays, and the Mountain Scene put an article in the paper about me and the project - as they have done every year I've been there - advertising it as well. However the 1st Sunday it bucketed down with rain so obviously cancelled, and the 2nd one was cancelled due to us getting covid. So we just had one Working Bee. But that brought us the Banks family from Cromwell, who were instrumental in finding the other two walls of Hut 7 (making that the largest dwelling so far at 4 metres wide) and have become firm supporters of the project. It's been volunteers like them who have helped us understand how this early gold-mining site flourished here on the banks of the Arrow River for 40 years, and what life was like for the miners and their families. The 2022 Season Ticked All The Boxes The January - March 2022 field study season at Cooper's Terrace had a wobbly start. Despite finding that my house-sit in Frankton was a gorgeous property .... with a cute little red Fiat at my disposal ...... I spent the first 3 weeks still recovering from my 2nd vaccine back in November, so I was not feeling 100% for a while. And then I discovered that I was not allowed by Heritage NZ, to actually dig the ground without an archaeologist standing over me. This was in the small print. So I had to adjust my plans. Luckily my archaeologist pal Shar Briden came over to stay for a few days, and we had an excellent day with volunteers working around Hut 1. But it's clear to me now, that Cooper's Terrace needs a full archaeological team working it and that can happen further down the track. My job is to just find all structures so I can present the site as complete as it was back in the late 1800's. Funnily enough, as soon as I bounced back from that long-drawn-out bout of chronic fatigue, things really started to take off, and success came in waves. I secured reknown heritage stonemason Keith Hines to work for me, and we put together a plan to stabilise all exposed stone walls in summer 2023. I started to meet influential people from Arrowtown, businessmen who have joined the project - some even helping out on site as volunteers. A group of 3 are working on a sign to be put up on the walking track, and will organise funding for it. One volunteer organised for the poplar on Block A to be felled. AND paid for it himself. I had been trying for a coupla years to get someone to take that poplar down, so I was very happy about that. It was impacting on the garden wall..... and Hut 1. On Block B, so much more vegetation has been cleared, and its been heartening to see the enthusiasm and passion for this project in others. I ran working bees each Sunday. Didn't get crowds, but the people who came proved so valuable in a variety of ways, I was very grateful to them for their support. After the 7 weeks I had achieved this: Produced a 1:100 Plan and section to scale; felled the poplar; found a heritage stonemason; cleared heaps more vegetation; identified unusual stonework in the garden wall; got the people of Arrowtown finally involved; got some GPS points done; organised a sign to be installed overlooking the site; found the 7th hut. Amongst other things. And had a blast doing it. Cant wait for next year - wall stabilising with Keith Hinds. I leave you with a sketch recently completed of what parts could be restored. Of course this is just a view of Block A. To see the other hut remains by the river, you would past under the trees across the road.... see it? You are now in Block B. It's even more beautiful there. Seating and signage would complete this part so it can be presented to the public. Unusual stonework, including a rounded castle-like corner, needs further investigation. This pic actually shows the main part of the structures that I believe would be a knockout to get restored. The people of Arrowtown will be considering that very concept the rest of this year. Stay tuned. Volunteers brought enthusiasm, good will and humour. They made the mahi a delight. The seventh hut to be found. According to me. 3 or 4 have yet to be confirmed officially but I hope to do that next year. 2021 Season Wound Down
The last week I was in Arrowtown was winding down week. Camp was dismantled. Last photos taken. Autumn leaves were dropping fast and speckled the ground with gold. I backfilled the big fossiker’s pit dug into the corner of Hut 1. Mike and I walked through the site marking the trees we wanted felled first with spray paint - he would come up to Coopers from time to time throughout the rest of the year and chainsaw them down. These are rather young trees, way more maneagable than the poplars. He can keep an eye on the site that way too. Almost to the last day I was collecting volunteers. That last week I added 3 more names to my 2022 list - all people who would be valuable for different reasons next year, a range of skill sets. It is important to note that none of the volunteers I have would be full-time. People give their time when it is available, and sometimes it’s just one day a week, if that. But I value every contribution. So ...... many thanks to the volunteers who have been part of the Cooper’s Terrace Project 2021 season: Matthew Rose, Mike Cammell and Angus Small. All 3 contributed massively in different ways and gave me unerring support and encouragement to continue the fine work. Which meant a lot. A big thanks to diligencewealth who funded an iPhone and iPad to the Project, thus greatly improving my communication and recording abilities. I’m particularly pleased to have such a good camera on the iPhone so my visual recordings could be of a high standard. I have plenty of mahi to do now I am back home in Tauranga including ongoing work to get the site put on the District Plan, registering as a Charity and nominating the site ( very important, this will state that the site exists, basically, a complicated application I am not looking forward to). So thanks for following. I hope you enjoyed following the Cooper’s Terrace Project on its first full season and will continue to support this work. Kia ora koutou katoa Jan Morrison project manager Coopers Terrace Project 027 242 1869
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Jan MorrisonProject Manager of an archeological dig of a 1800s European mining settlement near Arrowtown, Central Otago. Archives
April 2021
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