Our Gallipoli Video

The centenary of the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli has come and gone, but like many heritage groups, we're still 'processing' it. World War I was a huge, protracted event and deserves a lot of thought and reflection.

We researched the men of the district and put on a little exhibition last year about them. We also helped to create the WWI panels that are now situated at the War Memorial. Co-collaborators were the Otautau RSA and graphic designer, Donna Hawkins. These projects covered the 53 men who are listed on the Roll of Honour for Otautau & Districts.

But with this video, we wanted to focus on the first Otautau men to lose their lives in the war. The Gallipoli campaign took the lives of Eugene Tangney, Frank Craig, Fred Grant-Ussher, Harry Moffat, Edward Thomas, and Horace Braithwaite.

This is a memorial tribute - not a documentary. It's our first one, and we hope you like it!

Have a look and leave a comment.

Note: We're open Sundays, 2pm-4pm and by request.

Book Sale

Mark your calendar for Otautau's biggest and only book sale: Saturday and Sunday, the 16th & 17th of July, 10am to 4pm, at the Courthouse. You are sure to find interesting reading for yourself or others.

This is our annual fundraiser, and we can't do it without you. Start digging through your 'not needed' books and make a donation! Drop donations off at the council office in Otautau or to the museum on Sundays.

Thank you!

Note: We're open Sundays, 2pm-4pm and by request.

New Heat Pumps

The courthouse now has new heat pumps thanks to a very generous donation from the Rural Women NZ Western Southland Branch, and fundraising support from the community.

The courthouse has been a cold building for many years with only a few small fan heaters to provide warmth. Now, we have two heat pumps, strategically placed in the biggest rooms. They are making a huge difference. The rooms are a lot more comfortable to be in. We are hoping to sort out humidity issues as time goes on.

This heat pump is in the middle room where the main display is.

The courtroom has a bigger unit to tackle the job.

Thank you to Rural Women Western Southland Branch for stepping in with this big donation - just in time for winter!

Note: We're open Sundays, 2pm-4pm and by request.

Oral History Workshop

Harry and Priscilla Holt, early settlers of Otautau.
Just one couple among many for whom we wish we had oral histories.

The Southland Oral History Project is once again offering interviewer training and the chance to preserve the life stories of Southland's people.

This can be a very rewarding volunteer job because you get to witness, and provide the vehicle for, the transmission and preservation of someone's personal memories, thoughts and views. In sum, you will be capturing a unique part of Southland's history, never before recorded but a treasure for generations to come.

The workshop takes place over two days, the first of which is Sunday, 29 May. The second day is Sunday, 3 July. Both training days will be from 10am to 4pm at the Invercargill Library.

If you are interested, please contact Rebecca Amundsen, the project co-ordinator, at the Invercargill City Library, ph 2111 444 extension 7777 on Tues 9am-1pm or Thur 12-3pm, or email sohp@ilibrary.co.nz

Note: We're open Sundays, 2pm-4pm and by request.

Still Seeking WWII Photos

In the last few months we managed to get a couple of the photographs of WWII men we've been seeking: Eric Bulman and Geoffrey Hargest. Thanks to a member of the Bulman family for letting us have a copy of his photo. That gives us 15 out of the 18 men who are listed on our war memorial.

Now we just have these men left whose photos we need for the RSA heritage panel:

James Douglas Gould
James Vincent O'Brien
George Joseph Sheedy

If you know of anyone related to these men who may have their photo, please get in touch at the Otautau Museum email address.

If you have other photos from WWII that you think we might be able to use for the heritage panel, please let us know. Cheers!

Note: We're open Sundays, 2pm-4pm and by request.