North Otago to get meat museum park

Press, 6 May 1980, Page 3

North Otago to get meat museum park

PA Dunedin Farm buildings on £he historic Totara Park station, near Oamaru, have; been bought by the Meat Board and will be renovated by the Historic Places Trust for a park to commemorate the centenary of the frozen meat export trade. The first shipment of frozen meat left Port Chalmers on the sailing vesel Dunedin in February, 1882; Four of the old farm buildings are ‘ eluded in the purchase: the killing shed used for the first shipment, a.;..bam, men’s quarters, and informer stables now used aS a woolshed.

The . buildings and .smaltarea of .land have been bought .from the owner of Totara station, Mr G, L. Berry, an initiator of - the restoration project.He and Mrs Berry. have already restored the Totara homestead to -its original character. \ . / Eventually, : the ..'L farm buildings will contain, displays and information about the beginnings of . the meat export trade and its history to the present day. \ The restoration and development project, which' will include services, parking and public facilities, will cost an estimated $lOO,OOO. v

The first shipment of meat was prepared at Totara station Albion Line and loaded into the ship Dunedin at Port Chalmers for refrigeration. The ship sailed for Britain on February 15, 1882, and arrived in London with her cargo in marketable condition. The success of (he shipment marked the beginning of a trade which transformed the New Zealand economy. A memorial on Sebastapol Hill, at Totara, commemorates the New Zealand superintendent of the New Zealand and Australia Land Company, Thomas Brydone, who' handled the arrangements for the preparation and.lbaiding on the first frozen meat shipment, from December/ 1881, until February 11, 1882.'