Waitaki Valley School visit to Bushtown Friday 8th November
It was a real pleasure to host this charming group of students, teachers and parents on Friday. The school group had been staying at Gunns Bush for a 2 x night camp and this was their final day's outing. Bushtown has developed a very strong bond with the Waitaki Valley School and hosted a visit (different group of students) a couple of years ago and that resulted in the school colouring in the Great Fire Story book.
Teacher Natalie Aarts arranged for the return visit and it went really well. 20 x students and 5 x teachers/parents. We welcomed everyone into the Hall with where they were very taken with the model Bushtown and display of photos, including photos of the many schools planting Totara trees and our Bushtown volunteers were engaged chatting to students and adults who were very interested in the history and heritage aspects. We divided the group into 2 lots of 10 and one group visited the Edwardian Main Street : Lane Cottage, Post Office, General Store, Laundry AND the TRAIN! Sid had positioned the petrol engine and carriages at the end of the Main Street and this was a big attraction and caused lots of excitement. Hugo lifted the front cover of the petrol engine and identified the engine as a Honda engine!
The second group walked through the Forest track - visiting Bushman's Hut, Whalebone Bridge and the sawmill and then swapped over.
Liz Hayes and her son Hugo were very enthused to talk about being related to Alpheus and Anna Hayes. Young Hugo being 6th generation.
Of course they are from Kurow and the Waitaki Valley and where Alpheus built Normanville.
One of the photos attached shows Liz alongside portrait of Anna Hayes. It was really interesting to talk to her and very impressed that Bushtown is capturing this history in visual artwork and signage.
The old farm equipment placed around site attracted attention and youngsters delighted in perching up on seats and imagining driving tractors, pulling on levers and asking questions...what does that do. Of course most of them are from farming families.
Although the site was restricted by the amount of trench work happening, Russell and Kevin had ensured safety netting was in place and we traveresed around the site without difficulty and youngsters were much intrigued to see diggers at work and to hear about the project.
A very successful school visit and having seen the Totaras planted by schools - they are keen to fund raise to plant their own tree!
They were on site from 10.15 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.
The Bushtown Team on the Day: Joy, Liz, Rozi, Neroli, Ann, Sid
