Queenstown and District Historical
 Society Incorporated
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Activities for Members


For reports and photos of past years’ activities, use the drop-down arrow.


Spring 2024 - Autumn 2025


11 May 2025: A Feast of Local History:


Courier 113 was distributed.

Nick Fifield introduced ‘Arrowtown Audio Tours’ - the historical app which he has created covering Buckingham Street and the three churches.

Marion Borrell presented ‘Frankton Over the Years’ covering changes to the 1960s.













Frankton Wharf 1900                                       The beach 1960



6 April 2025: at Arrowtown Soldiers Hill:       

Arrowtown’s World War 1 Casualties                 

-A panel honouring the local men who died. This was was researched by Denise Heckler for the Historical Society and funded by the Arrowtown RSA.


Afterwards at St John’s Church, Denise talked about the impact of WW1 on the district.

on the local community.





2 March 2025: Visit to Ophir with David and Wendy Clarke


31 of us enjoyed a visit to Ophir on Sunday the 2nd of March. We visited David and Wendy’s house, the jail and hall, Pitches Store, had a guided tour of the Post Office and finished at the Dan O’Connell bridge.











Field Trip to Heritage Sites near Lake Hayes


Sunday 13 October. 40 members attended. It was a successful afternoon with members having the opportunity to view three interesting sites.

























15 September 2024: The History of Tourism in this District

Presented by Amanda Viana from the Education Unit at the Lakes District Museum we learned about the geography that first attracted tourists to our ‘Switzerland of the South’, and the forces that have propelled tourism from 1870s until now.


he Annual General Meeting was held on Sunday 24 November 2024

Kerry Dunlop was made Chairperson and Jenny Howitt and Carolyn Beggs joined the committee.


Marion Borrell stays as Immediate Past Chairperson after 12 and a half years at the helm.


Ed Elliott described restoring the Julien Bourdeau

information on the Skippers Road which he completed

with his son.


The Lakes District Museum’s archivist talked about methods

of digitising the museum’s collections.


There was also 1950s Baking Challenge

with some interesting and tasty results.




More Events


The first of our Spring 2025 to Autumn 2026 events will be:

‘People From Our Past’ on Sunday 14 September at 2pm at St John’s Presbyterian Church, Arrowtown.


October: A trip TBA


23 November AGM, Courier 114 and other items, at Lake Hayes Pavilion.