TREATY2U

        20th August – 3 October 2010

It took 7 days to write, 7 months to sign, 168 years to debate … and counting. TREATY 2 U brings the story of the nation’s founding document through a unique touring interactive exhibition.

Heritage Centre Project Manager Roxanne gajadhar said she is delighted with public support for the exhibition since the opening.

“It has been great to see the town’s visitors and locals enjoying learning more about our heritage and we’ve had school groups through almost every day. In less than two weeks we have had more than 700 people through the doors”. 

The School visits have been enriched by the Te Papa education programme on offer and the extention programmes run by museum educators from South Canterbury museum’s Heritage Education Service.

For more information or to organise a group tour contact exhibition co-ordinator Lyndal Lane on 03 302 9666 or email lyndal@methvenheritagecentre.co.nz

Open daily 10am-5pm, Weekends 10am-4pm, Entry by koha or donation,

Group bookings welcome

Mt Hutt Memorial Hall Function Room

Methven Heritage Centre

This exhibition is toured by Te Papa, New Zealand Archives & The National Library.

Methven Primary School presents their Arts Performance on 16th September 2010 in the Mt Hutt Memorial Hall.

“Retail Therapy”

LETS” DO WHAT WE DO BEST- shop, socialise, and laugh!

15th October 2010 7.30pm Mt Hutt memorial Hall

• 40 boutique stallholders… Clothing, gourmet goodies, linen, art, homeware, jewellery, kid’s clothing, and much more!
• Action packed auction…Methven i-site for prior viewing from October 9th
• Smooth Tunes!
• Supper & Cash bar!
• Shopping bag and bubbles on arrival plus fabulous spot prizes!

Tickets $15 each available from i-site Methven-Somerset grocer Ashburton- Prenzel Geraldine or Tineka Johnstone 03 302 8332

The Methven Heritage Centre was officially opened in grand style on Friday night with a fantastic Gala Event. The audience was wowed by a spectacular line up of performers as has not been seen in Methven for many a year.  “A night to remember always” said one  local.

AshburtonTV filmed the event – footage and interviews can be viewed at http://www.ashburtontv.co.nz/cms/index.php?option=com_hwdvideoshare&task=viewvideo&Itemid=1&video_id=101

Photos galleries of the event are availabe at Ashburton Online http://www.ashburtononline.co.nz/newgallery/thumbnails.php?album=303

Artwork for the Methven Heritage Centre’s up-coming Opening Gala and Art Auction will be on display from Friday, May 21 in the Methven i-SITE and Visitor Centre.

On show will be works by Karen Smith, Jennifer Neutze, Sarah Harper, Sally Withell, Kay Hunter, Ngaio McKee and photographer Bill Irwin.

To view the catalogue click here: art-auction-catalogue

The 2010 Annual General Meeting of the Methven District Heritage Association will be held in the newly refurbishment Functions Room on 31st May at 7.30pm.
The agenda includes the acceptance of the proposed new constitution.
Members are requested to review the proposed constitution before attending the meeting.

Download a copy of  the MDHA constitution.

Methven Heritage Project orgainsers say a highly successful 4WD fundraising trip was held to Winterslow Station on the weekend.  More than 50 vehicles made the trip into the back country, and were met with some challenging driving, mustering, music, high country poetry, memorabilia, blade shearing demonstration and of course spectacular scenery.   While run-holder David Whiteman didn’t manage to capture the elusive black panther for the trip, the site of its last appearance was marked for visitors.

Heritage Project events co-ordinator Leanne Clemens said a great day was had by all and while final figures were still to be confirmed it was likely the trip had raised more than $6,000 for the community project, which will see a multi million upgrade of the Mount Hutt Memorial Hall and construction of a new visitor attraction in Methven.  A second trip is being run on February 13, with limited spaces still available.

The gardens surrounding Mount Hutt Memorial Hall in Methven are about to be  transformed as landscaping gets underway in earnest with the delivery of a massive high country boulder to the site. 

Affectionately known as “Bob’s Rock”, the rock has been donated by high country farmer and committee member Bob Todhunter.   

The greywacke giant from Cleardale Station weighs somewhere between 15 and 20 tonnes, and is estimated to be more than 100 million years old. It was transported down the Rakia Valley in ice as part of the Acheron Advance, and came to rest at Cleardale more than 14,000 years ago. 

It will be the main element of a water feature on the site, and took a team of men, a 20 tonne digger and a good dose of ingenuity to transfer it to Methven.

 Jon Harmer of Harmer Construction Limited, seen shaking his head in disbelief in one of the photos, says while he wasn’t too worried when he first saw the rock, when it was excavated and its true size revealed he wondered what he had let himself in for. 

“It’s the biggest rock we’ve ever put on the truck!” he says.  

The rock was too heavy for the 20 tonne digger pictured and in the end was rolled onto the truck, where it lifted the front wheels off the ground. 

Bob Todhunter, says he was happy to see a part of the high country arrive in the gardens for the community to enjoy as part of a naturalistic water feature.  

“The water story will be a key element inside the galleries of New Zealand’s Alpine and Agriculture Encounter.  From the snow falling on the alps creating the opportunity for snowsports and alpine tourism through to the role water plays irrigating farmland on the plains, water is the key.” 

“Using a piece of rock that travelled down the glaciers of the Rakaia as part of a water feature in the gardens links in to this story, as well as being a sculptural feature in its own right.”

Minister for Agriculture David Carter joined local Rangitata MP Jo Goodhew for a tour of the Methven Heritage Centre last week to review progress on the multi-million development.

Heritage Board Chairman Graham Robertson said it was an excellent opportunity to be able to talk through the project with the Minister in detail, and in particular the groups’ intentions for the agricultural displays and education centre.

“The Minister was very positive about the work being done.  In particular the educational potential and the importance of a facility that can showcase the district’s and the nation’s world beating agricultural industry, and explore issues such as water use and sustainability.”

Jo Goodhew who has been following the centre’s development closely was also impressed.

“I was delighted to have the opportunity to visit the Methven Heritage Centre site last week with the Hon. David Carter, Minister of Agriculture, and get an update on progress so far. The association are doing a great job progressing this project and the Minister and I were both impressed with progress and also the vision this group of people have for the centre.

Mid Canterbury’s legendary black panther has not been sighted since May last year, but David Wightman thinks it is still out there.

The Winterslow Station runholder has set up a trap to catch the large black cat, complete with a live goat.

Mr Wightman said there had been at least four sightings on his station, and several other sightings on surrounding farms as well as other areas of Mid Canterbury.

He said he initially built the trap in 2000, after consulting on its design with a wildlife expert.

He had operated it on and off over the years, generally following sightings.

Mr Wightman said he had not wanted to go public until now, due to cynicism about the existence of the panther.

Methven Heritage Project members are promoting Mr Wightman’s attempts to capture the cat as they gear up for a fundraising four-wheel-drive trip next month.

They say even if Mr Wightman does not succeed, others going on the trip may spot the panther.

Mr Wightman is happy to go along with the publicity campaign, and said he will operate the trap for two weeks leading up to the trip on January.

He was not sure whether he was confident or not that this time he would catch the cat.

“If a trap isn’t set you have got no chance at all. Right at this very moment I’m not sure where the thing is lurking.”

However, Mr Wightman has no doubt at all about the existence of the panther, and believes it is not just a large black feral cat as many believe.

The last sighting was May last year when two young men tramping on Winterslow Station saw the cat, and described it to him in similar terms to a previous sighting about 80 metres away by farmers Murray and Linda Harmer.

The Harmers, who graze their stock at Winterslow, said they were walking from the station’s cook shop when they spotted three piglets, and what they thought was a sow following them.

“It wasn’t the sow at all, it was a big black cat, about the size of a huntaway dog,” Mrs Harmer said.

Mr Harmer described the animal as “a big black shiny brute”.

Mr Wightman said the trap could be operated only in summer, as snow cut off access in winter.

He places a live goat in the trap for a week at a time, and has two goats he uses so they each get a break.

A wildlife expert had told him the bleating of the goat attracted predatory animals.

The goat is in a self-contained compartment, so remains unharmed.

The four-wheel-drive trips are on January 23 and February 13.

They involve some challenging driving, spectacular scenery and high country history and entertainment.

Ashburton Guardian – December 8 2009