Crocodiles aren’t usually associated with the Upper Clutha, but a local history project has uncovered their role in Luggate’s history.

Last week (Thursday November 28) a short ceremony was held at Luggate’s Taylor Park (near the cart and horses) to acknowledge a new information board about Luggate Creek (Te Rua Tupāpāku).

The area was once part of an ancient lake, Lake Manuherikia, which covered 2,200 square miles of Central Otago, 19-20 million years ago, before the uplift of the Criffel and Pisa Ranges.

Crocodiles, turtles, fish and birds, along with ferns, palms and other plants lived in and around this subtropical lake, the new information board says.

Luggate Community Association chair Rod Anderson, QLDC parks service Diana Manson, author Jenny Moss, and QLDC councillor Barry Bruce.

Luggate resident Jenny Moss worked on the project, which was funded by the Luggate Community Association, with Diana Manson from the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) parks and reserves team.

Jenny said “the Luggate Creek has flowed through my dreams” as she worked on the project, following completion of her book about the creek, ‘Our Creek - To Matou Awaawa’.

The creek originates high in the Pisa Range and flows into the Clutha River/Mata-au. Its European name, Luggate, came from a small stream in Scotland. 

For early Māori, Te Rua Tupāpāku was part of a network of food gathering sites around Central Otago. The new information board also covers the creek’s role in gold mining, local ecology, recreation, and more.

Kai Tahu and WAI Wānaka wrote parts of the board, which features photographs and art work by Kerry Perkins.

Jenny hopes the board will “shine a light” on Luggate Creek.

A former teacher, Jenny has always recognised the importance of local history, but when she moved to Luggate in the mid-2000s she realised that much of its rich history was missing from accounts of the Upper Clutha.

“It is my hope we can bring this project to the attention of not only our Luggate community but the wider Upper Clutha and our visitors,” she said.

Jenny said she hoped in the future to have more story boards, including one by Luggate’s historic flour mill.

At Thursday’s ceremony QLDC councillor Barry Bruce acknowledged the huge effort made by Jenny and others on the project, calling the result “something quite special”.

“It’s easy to forget those who came before us,” he said, adding: “It’s projects like this that make our communities.” 

PHOTOS: Wānaka App