Driving through Waratah on our way to Corinna, we spied an interesting rustic cabin. We stopped to investigate and found Philosopher Smith’s hut, a replica of a typical miner’s hut from the late 1800s.
James ‘Philosopher’ Smith is credited with the discovery of tin at Mount Bischoff and the founding of Waratah in 1871.
The interior was less than comfortable and displayed the equipment a prospector would have used when searching for minerals in the 1870s.
With time to spare before lunch, we moved on to explore the adjacent museum.
The former Courthouse building is now home to a collection of local historical photographs and artefacts. The main courtroom has retained the judge’s bench and witness box among other original features.
A roll-top desk has pride of place in an adjoining room with a neatly scribed ledger showing receipts and payments.
In the music room, vintage instruments, sheet music and old vinyl records reflect a time when music was an integral part of the social scene.
As expected, mining memorabilia abounds along with specimens of gemstones and minerals.
Among all the fascinating items, my favourite is this child’s dress. Despite the pretty trimmings, it does look a might scratchy.
Following our sensory stimulation at the World of WearableArt Museum, we next ventured into the adjacent Nelson Classic Car Museum. I’m not really what you would call a ‘car enthusiast’, as long as it transports me from A to B in comfort I am happy. I do, however, appreciate the form and am of the opinion that when it comes to cars, and fashion for that matter, style and class are a thing of the past. The fabulous collection of vehicles began in 1967 and all have been fully restored and are presented in immaculate condition. Our attention was instantly drawn to ‘The Flamboyant Fifties’ section to our right
but we chose to traverse the museum in the other direction after spying an intriguing red Mini. It seems two blokes decided, over a beer, an attempt to break the land speed record in a 1964 Mini was a great idea. Guy Griffith and Garry Orton assembled a team, known as Project 64. Long story short, they did indeed set a new land speed record of 166mph (267kph) on Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah in 2016.
I suspect a more sedate history is attached to the cute little BMW Isetta parked in the next bay. The entire front end of the Italian-designed microcar opens out as a single door, along with the steering wheel and instrument panel. Driver and passenger were to exit through the canvas sunroof in the event of an accident. The right-hand drive version, produced under licence in England from 1957, meant the driver and engine were on the same side, so a 27kg counterweight was added to the left-hand side to compensate. Popularity waned until a three-wheeled version was introduced and it was therefore classed as a three-wheeled motorcycle, requiring only a motorcycle licence. Unfortunately, the three wheels made it more prone to rolling over.
Adding a touch of nostalgic ambience, some displays are accompanied by an innovative façade. A 1962 Holden station wagon has been packed for a beachside holiday
and a 1922 Hupmobile is parked suspiciously outside Luigi’s Barbershop.
The next section was aptly named ‘Visual Delights’.
A dazzling line-up of 1960s sports cars opened with a Sunbeam Stiletto. Despite lacking the pizzazz of the classic convertibles, the Stiletto was considered a rival to the Mini Cooper in its day. Only around 9,000 of these cars were manufactured between 1967 and 1972.
A trio of tantalizing Triumphs
terminate in a time warp, back to the 1930s. Auburn automobiles, produced in America from 1900 to 1937, were renowned for being fast, good-looking and expensive. Business declined following the Great Depression and the Auburn 653 was developed in 1934 to offer more affordable models. Re-styled in 1935, it still wasn’t enough to save the company and all vehicle business came to a halt in 1937.
BMW were more successful during the same era with the 328 sports car. Produced from 1936 to 1940, the BMW 328 won its first race at the Nürburgring in 1936 and went on to achieve more than 100 class wins the following year. Incidentally, Frank Pratt won the 1948 Australian Grand Prix driving a 328.
New innovations in the ‘sporty’ Cadillacs of 1929 included a synchronized 3-speed transmission, eliminating the need to double-clutch when changing gear, and four-wheel brakes requiring considerably less pedal pressure.
Looking a lot more ‘sporty’, the 1934 Fiat Balilla Spider, originally with the 3-speed ‘no-syncromesh’ gearbox, benefitted from an upgrade to a 4-speed transmission.
A recently restored 1900s Ford waited to find its place within the exhibition buildings.
On a completely different scale, the 1959 Cadillac Coupe de Ville boasts the world’s largest tail fins on a production automobile. At the time, Cadillac’s design philosophy was heavily influenced by jet aircraft and the tail light arrangement represents the exhausts of a jet.
Back to the more ‘classic’ form
the Humber Super Snipe was produced by British-based Humber Limited from 1938 to 1967, the Mark III commenced in 1950.
U.K. luxury car, the Austin Sheerline, was designed during WW II but production was delayed until 1947. The style was similar to the Rolls Royce or Bentley of the time but the Austin was around two-thirds of the price.
The Ford Motor Company introduced its De Luxe line in 1938 to bridge the gap between its base and luxury models. 1939 saw the first year of hydraulic brakes at Ford.
At the beginning of 1950, Britain was the leading exporter of cars, dominated by Morris and followed closely by Austin. These two companies merged to become the British Motor Company (BMC) in 1952. I have vivid memories of the drives home from primary school in Mum’s blue Morris Minor, affectionately known as Gertrude. If she didn’t have a clear run at top speed to tackle a particularly steep hill en route, we would slow to a halt before reaching the top, despite our verbal encouragement from the back seat. Encouragement turned to screams as mum juggled gear stick and clutch, my fear of careening rearward only allayed by the perfection of yet another hill start.
The Reliant Motor Company was founded in 1935 and are mostly remembered for their range of 3-wheeled vehicles. The Supervan III was introduced in 1956 and was the first to have a full fibreglass body. As I mentioned previously, 3-wheeled cars were popular as they didn’t require a car licence to drive. However, the EU changed this rule for vehicles over 550kg in 2001, severely affecting Reliant’s market share and they ended car production a year later.
Winding the clock back to the World War I period, the Stutz Bearcat was named America’s racing champion in 1915. Although it was fast for the era, it was considered a ‘man’s car’ because the clutch was so stiff and the brakes required much force to operate. Supposedly, this prevented women from driving.
Porsche built only 90 of its first purpose-built racing cars, the 550 RS Spyder, between 1953 and 1956 and was the first car manufacturer to get race sponsorship. Apart from a successful race history, it is probably most famous for being the model James Dean was driving when he was killed. Avid Porsche collector, Jerry Seinfeld, sold his 1955 550 RS Spyder for $5,335,000 at auction in March 2016, a world record price for the model.
The Porsche 356 preceded the 550, with production starting in 1948. Although intended to be a road vehicle, the engineers couldn’t help themselves with a few tweaks to make it raceworthy.
The Jaguar XJS was unveiled in 1975 as a replacement for the iconic E-Type and, despite some initial market reticence with the new, angular lines, it went on to be one of British Leyland’s more successful ventures. A convertible model called the XJ-SC was introduced in 1983, the small rear seats were removed to make space for the removable soft top.
Surely one of the most beautiful cars of all time is the E-Type Jaguar (in my humble opinion). Produced between 1961 and 1974, it was surprisingly tasteful, unlike many fashions of that era. I would prefer a British racing green rather than Austin Powers’ psychedelic ‘Shaguar”.
Frazer Nash sports cars were first manufactured in 1922, with the BMW 328 design used as the basis for the later models. All cars were built to order, meaning small numbers but many different models. Only 12 of the Frazer Nash Mille Miglia were made between 1948 and 1953.
GT Beetles were the only classic Beetle produced in Europe to be officially badged a ‘Beetle’. Built to celebrate the importation of Britain’s 300,000th Beetle, only 2500 were made in three unique colours – lemon yellow (1250), apple green (250) and tomato red (1000).
The Mini came about because of a fuel shortage caused by the 1956 Suez Crisis when petrol was rationed and sales of large cars slumped. The Mini was marketed under the Austin and Morris names until 1969 when the simple name ‘Mini’ replaced the separate brands. Rover Minis were the last of the original shape, built from 1996 until the end of production, after 41 years, in 2000.
We finally made it back to our starting point, at ‘The Flamboyant Fifties’.
The scale of these extravagant American vehicles was boggling. I’ve always loved the old Morris Woody Wagons but Chrysler outdid themselves with the Town and Country Newport Coupe. Only 698 of these last true woodies were produced for one year only in 1950.
Built to celebrate Cadillac’s Golden Anniversary, a limited edition convertible version of the El Dorado concept car was released in 1953. More a method of testing the market, production was restricted to 532 vehicles.
Presumably beyond repair, a 1953 Buick has been laid to rest in a mock graveyard.
There are many reminders in the Northern Territory of Australia’s involvement in World War II and a visit to Darwin Military Museum gives a fascinating insight into just how close the Japanese invasion came. On 19th February 1942, the Japanese bombed Darwin, killing 252 people, destroying aircraft, sinking 10 ships and severely damaging the township. Over the next 21 months, the Northern Territory was subjected to a further 97 air attacks by the Japanese, including 51 bombing raids.
Since the mid-1960s, the Royal Australian Artillery Association has been accumulating war memorabilia and the vast collection includes artefacts from the Boer War to the present day. Once past the entrance display,
I realised there were far too many intriguing items to photograph, not least this painted feather. The MV Manunda was launched in 1929 as a passenger liner and souvenirs of voyages, such as this, were common. The vessel became HMAS Manunda and served as a hospital ship during World War II before returning to civilian life in 1946. Ten years later, in an ironic twist of fate, she was sold to a Japanese Shipping Company, broken up and used for scrap.
We continued our exploration outside, where larger artillery pieces and military vehicles are scattered through tropical gardens and various outbuildings. A memorial to the Australian Digger stands adjacent to one dedicated to Gunner, a kelpie credited with the ability to alert his squadron when Japanese aircraft were approaching.
The sheer scale of some of the exhibits is boggling, it is difficult to fathom the logistics of deploying this equipment in the field. Boom net buoys were used to suspend the huge cable for the anti-submarine net stretched across Darwin Harbour. For added security, a massive metal detecting loop was laid on the floor of the harbour to detect any submarine activity.
Vehicle-mounted workshops were primarily used for maintenance in the field, with small engines under the bench to run electrical items such as grinders and compressors.
Probably the most terrifying place to be on the fighter planes was the ball gun turret. Suspended underneath the aircraft, the gunner, usually the smallest man in the crew, had to assume a foetal-like position on missions of up to ten hours.
Some remnants of wartime are still being found in the N.T., like this Japanese drop tank. The tanks carried extra fuel to extend the range of the aircraft and, once empty, could be released to reduce drag in combat situations.
There are several engines and propellors on display, each with their own story. This one separated from the fuselage of a Kittyhawk during a forced landing in 1942. Fortunately, the pilot survived.
Almost as uncomfortable as the ball turret, two personnel would be squeezed into the hot, noisy cabin of the Ferret scout car. One would drive and the other would man the machine gun and grenade launchers.
On a much larger scale, the Buffalo was used as an amphibious transport vehicle, though its design meant it could only operate in the calmest of seas without taking on too much water.
Looking suspiciously like a missile, paravanes were actually used in minesweeping operations. With a cutting cable attached, they were dragged behind a minesweeper at a pre-determined depth and, once the enemy mine was located and detached, it was destroyed by small-arms fire. Sometimes the paravane received collateral damage.
The big guns were just around the corner, an impressive collection of field and anti-aircraft guns, all of which must have been onerous to manoeuvre in battle.
Knowing where to aim the artillery pieces was a little more complicated than it is these days. A rangefinder was used to determine the angle and distance to the target, this one is the largest in the world and was installed at the East Point gun emplacements.
The information was then passed via telephone to the plotters manning the ‘fire direction table’ where they computed such things as wind speed, air pressure, humidity and temperature, all of which affected the shell’s flight.
The gunners were then able to set the correct bearing and elevation to hit the target. The initial 6” guns were replaced by two 9.2” guns but they didn’t arrive until February 1944. Consequently, the only rounds fired from these were three proof rounds, the war ended and, in 1959, both guns were sold to a Japanese salvage firm and cut up for scrap metal. The replicas that now stand on the site are quite impressive.
Operating in conjunction with the rangefinder crews, massive searchlights with a range around 25 kilometres were used to spot enemy ships.
There are many displays of assorted paraphernalia
and a tribute to the military horse troops. Around 1500 horses and men of the North Australia Observation Unit, known as Nackeroos, were stationed in remote locations to watch for enemy activity.
The final outbuilding contained a wonderful array of service vehicles from trucks to Bren Gun carriers.
The most recognisable is the 1942 Willys Jeep. Originally designated a ‘Vehicle General Purpose’ or ’Vehicle GP’, the name resulted in the term ‘jeep’. Willys were the original designers and manufacturers of the Jeep and then contracted the building of them to Ford.
If you are planning a visit to the museum, allow plenty of time, there was so much more to see.
Following our experience at Wētā Workshop the plan was to visit New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa (Māori for ‘the treasure box’). We were intrigued to see the ‘Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War’ exhibition after learning at Wētā that they were responsible for creating the life-like figures on display.
The giant sculptures, 2.4 times human size, took 24,000 hours to complete, not surprising considering the incredible detail and emotion on the faces. The exhibition opened on 18th April 2015 to commemorate the centenary of the ANZAC campaign and will remain until 25th April 2025. The diaries of seven soldiers and a nurse were selected to share the stories through the eyes of ordinary New Zealanders in diabolical circumstances. Stepping into the darkened room, the effect of a huge, spotlighted figure aiming a gun in apparent terror was startling.
Lieutenant Spencer Westmacott was one of the first New Zealanders to climb the steep hills to join the Australians. By nightfall, he had been evacuated with severe wounds to his right arm which was later amputated at a military hospital in Egypt.
A cut-through model of a soldiers’ kit shows the little protection they had from external armoury.
The despair is palpable on the face of Lieutenant Colonel Percival Fenwick as he leans over the fatally wounded Canterbury infantryman, Jack Aitken.
The 45 year old surgeon, a veteran of the South African war, recorded the hellish conditions and his disillusionment with the inept direction of the senior commanders in his diary.
The lonely figure of Private Jack Dunn, eating hard biscuits covered with flies, tells a tragic story.
Malnourished by bad food, he was hospitalised with dysentery but returned to duty while still sick. He fell asleep at his post and was sentenced to death by firing squad. Although his sentence was rescinded, he was killed in action a few days later.
The exhibition is also comprised of 3-D maps and projections, miniatures, models and interactive modules. The daily life activity station hosts a realm of surprises in drawers and cupboards.
Lieutenant Colonel William Malone’s detailed diary entries echoed Percival Fenwick’s disenchantment with his superiors and the conduct of the campaign. Inside a replica of his dugout, built according to a sketch made by Malone, an actors voice reads the last letter he wrote to his wife, Ida. The moving epistle suggests Malone was certain he would die in the August attack the following day. His intuition proved correct, he was accidentally killed by supporting artillery fire.
The ‘machine gunners trio’ was recreated based on a paragraph in the diary of Private Rikihana Carkeek.
He and fellow Māori soldier, Friday Hawkins found themselves on the same machine gun team under the command of Lieutenant Colin Warden who was unfortunately shot through the heart just after giving the gunners their range.
Almost immediately, gun Corporal Donald Ferris was shot through the head and killed instantly. As the scene depicts, Private Hawkins took charge of the gun while Private Carkeek moved into position to feed the belt. Shortly afterwards, Friday was shot through the wrist and Rikihana took over the gun before being shot through the base of the neck (yes, he survived). It seems all subsequent gunners were shot and badly wounded.
Auckland nurse Charlotte (Lottie) Le Gallais planned to meet up with her brother, Leddie, in Gallipoli. She was selected for the first voyage on the hospital ship Maheno, bound for Egypt but by the time she arrived, Leddie had been killed in action. She is portrayed having just learnt of his death, four months previously, when her letters to Leddie were returned unopened.
Having survived Gallipoli, Private Cecil Malthus then fought on the Western Front where he was promoted to sergeant and was then wounded in action at the First Battle of the Somme. He is the final figure in the exhibition, positioned in a muddy crater which has been filled with poppies by visitors, some bearing handwritten notes.
On the way to Matamata we spent some time exploring Firth Tower Museum. Resembling a small village, the colonial buildings are set in manicured grounds on land that was once the centre of the 56,000 acre Matamata Estate established by Josiah Clifton Firth. Not knowing where we would be at lunchtime, we had purchased sandwiches earlier in the day and the lovely ladies at reception suggested we enjoy them on the verandah of the homestead. As a light drizzle set in, we did just that.
In 1904, the estate was divided into 117 farms and the then manager, John McCaw, attained the Tower Farm. The old station homestead, built in 1879, was razed by fire and the present one replaced it in 1902. The house is beautifully preserved and presented to reflect life at that time.
Englishman Josiah Firth moved to New Zealand in the early 1850s and settled in Auckland. Coming from a family background of farming and industrial development, his entrepreneurial skills soon saw him pouring money into land clearing, introducing new agricultural machinery and opening the Waihou River for navigation to send farm produce to Auckland markets. One of the earliest reinforced concrete buildings in New Zealand, the tower was built in 1882 and was used as the estate office and sleeping quarters for single men.
At 16 metres tall, it also provided a lookout across the estate and countryside beyond.
The village buildings have been brought to the present location and are maintained by the Matamata Historical Society.
The old Matamata Methodist Church was built in 1914, closed in 1972 and was moved here in 1978.
Okoroire post office began in 1891 when the postmaster was also the hotel keeper. The original building burnt down in 1912 and was replaced by this one in 1928. A century of communications development is on display, including old letters and Morse code transmitters.
The school building has a varied history. Built in 1893 as part of a planned Armadale Township, it was used as a community hall as well as a school. The village of Armadale never eventuated and so it was renamed Gordon School after the Gordon District in 1896. A new school building was erected in 1938 and the old one sat abandoned until it was moved to Selwyn School as a second room to accommodate more students in 1946. Seventeen years later, once again redundant, it was bought by a local farming family and used as a hay shed. The old Gordon School was brought to Firth Tower Museum in 1983 and is set up as a pre and early 1900s classroom.
There is a memorial cairn close by dedicated to Wiremu Tamihana Tarapipipi Te Waharoa, a Māori statesman, also known as ‘The Kingmaker’. Josiah Firth was on good terms with the Māori and supported Wiremu Tamihana’s efforts to establish a Māori king and later, in 1870, attempted to broker peace between Te Kooti and the government. Firth erected a monument following Tamihana’s death in 1866 which was later destroyed. This one was erected in the same spot in 1966 but was moved to the museum in 1978 to protect it from vandalism.
A settler’s cottage was moved from ‘behind the butcher’s shop’ in Waharoa and is furnished as a workman’s home of the 1900s.
The jail was built in 1892 in Karangahake and was moved to Matamata in 1920 where it served for the next thirty years.
Many activities are offered for groups at the museum including interactive days for school children. Unfortunately, the gallery-workshop wasn’t open this day.
There are a number of outbuildings housing interesting displays of life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The history of movie going and Matamata’s doctors, dentists and hospitals are among those featured in The Barn.
‘From Horse to Tractor’ was the theme in the Mark Madill Shed. I love the old farm machinery, they are real works of art.
The Joan & David Stanley Shed is all about dairy farming and 100 years of milking methods are on display.
Sheep farming was next in the John McCaw Woolshed with shearing equipment, fleece sorting table and wool bales.
Next to the original stables, a typical 19th century vegetable garden, complete with a scarecrow, is brimming with produce and flowers.
As we returned to our starting point, a pair of old railway goods wagons contain the story of the Kaimai Tunnel construction but they are in such a state of dilapidation, the exhibit is no longer accessible due to health & safety concerns. Plans are underway to move the display to a new environment in the near future.
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