Work installing hundreds of etched historical tiles along Wānaka’s lakefront will begin next week.

Six hundred and forty-five etched tiles will be installed next to the shared pathway between McDougall Street and Dungarvon Street, each marked with symbols denoting significant events which took place between c.1000-2000.

The tiles are one of the finishing touches to stage two of the Wānaka Lakefront Development Plan and they will mark the completion of a reimagined Millennium Pathway, which has been named Te Ara Maumahara (memory path).

“Te Ara Maumahara provides an amazing opportunity to acknowledge those who have come before us and the moments that matter, both here, throughout Aotearoa, and out in the big, wide world,” Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) community services general manager Ken Bailey said.

“Once these tiles are in place, I’m sure residents and visitors alike will find their strolls along the lake’s edge that much more enjoyable with a bit of a blast from the past added into the mix.”

There will be around 550 blank tiles interspersed with the 645 etched tiles.

Ken acknowledged the dedication and generosity of Dr Michael Stevens, Ed Waddington, the Upper Clutha Historical Records Society, and QLDC parks officer Diana Manson in helping to bring the tiles to fruition.

“We’ve had amazing contributions from the community to make sure Te Ara Maumahara showcases an extensive breadth of information relevant to Wānaka and the Upper Clutha, and celebrates our little place in the world.”

He also thanked the “amazing work” of those who first envisaged and then created the original Millennium Pathway, which was a community-led project completed more than 20 years ago to celebrate the new millennium.

Plans for stage two required the path to be shifted and the old tiles were not able to be removed and relocated without damage, a process which led to the creation of Te Ara Maumahara. 

Several different designs of the tiles were etched and tested to make sure Te Ara Maumahara met community expectations, Ken said.

One of the new tiles. PHOTO: Supplied

Installation of the tiles for Te Ara Maumahara will start on Monday (July 24) and it is expected to take four-to-six weeks to complete. 

Sections of the shared pathway on Wānaka’s lakefront will be temporarily closed while tiles are being installed, with an alternative route provided alongside the pathway for pedestrians to use.