Maclennan Historic Area

2256 – 2290 Papatowai Highway, Maclennan, OTAGO

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Blink and you miss it, they say. The tiny gem that is Maclennan township lies on Papatowai Highway as it meanders through the wild and picturesque Catlins’ landscape. Aesthetically significant for its discernible historic structures clustered around the main road; architecturally significant for rail buildings typical of the era and the representation of small vernacular sawmilling towns; historically significant as a microcosm of the importance of railway to rural New Zealand; and socially significant as a representation of the communities that sprang up around rail heads and sawmills. To step into Maclennan is to step back in time. The Catlins River Branch was built to enable locally sawmilled timber to reach the market. Begun in 1879 it was only in 1912 that the rail began making its way into what would become Maclennan. By 1914 the station was operational. From the first structure, a gangers’ hut, grew a railway station, goods shed, engine shed, rail workers’ cottages and an entire yard with turn-table, loops and shunts. The rail terminus had two important draws. Sawmills sprang up in the vicinity to take advantage of the access to markets provided by the rail. Services also sprang up to cater for the rail workers, saw millers and their families. Accommodation, a store, a school and a hall were all necessary components for the burgeoning community. For many years the community was self-sustaining. Once the accessible forest was cleared, however, the community dwindled and the line no longer had a purpose to sustain it. The school closed in 1956, the last of the sawmills was gone by 1969, and in 1971 the rail line was closed. The community and rail buildings were sold into private hands, and even the store closed its doors. Some buildings were repurposed for accommodation and farming uses but the buildings, largely unchanged, slowly faded into the landscape.

Maclennan Historic Area, Otago. Maclennan Railway Station (Former). Image courtesy of www.flickr.com | Shelley Morris – Shells | 15/11/2021 | Shelley Morris
Maclennan Historic Area, Otago | Susan Irvine | 22/05/2017 | Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga
Maclennan Historic Area, Otago. Maclennan School (Former). Image courtesy of www.flickr.com | Shelley Morris – Shells | 15/11/2021 | Shelley Morris

Location

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List Entry Information

Overview

Detailed List Entry

Status

Listed

List Entry Status

Historic Area

Access

Private/No Public Access

List Number

9295

Date Entered

4th April 2019

Date of Effect

4th April 2019

City/District Council

Clutha District

Region

Otago Region

Extent of List Entry

This historic area consists of an area of land that contains a group of inter-related historic places. The identified historic places that contribute to the values in this historic area are the Teacher’s Residence (Former), Maclennan School (Former), Maclennan Community Hall (Former), Maclennan General Store (Former), the Storage Shed (Former), the Railway House (Former), the Ganger’s Hut (Former), the Stock Yards, Maclennan Railway Station (Former), the Goods Shed (Former), and the Boarding House (Former). The area of land that encompasses these historic places includes the land described as Lots 1-2 DP 2583 (RT OT177/300); Lot 3 DP 2583 (RT OT 181/204); Lot 4 DP 2583 (RT OT286/142); Lot 11A DP 2583 (RT OT 4B/606); Pt Lot 12 DP 2583 (RT OT6A/131); Lot 13 DP 2583 (RT OT286/142); Lot 1 DP 8897 (RT OT3C/974); Lot 2 DP 16582 (RT OT 7C/138), Sec 1 SO 19126; Lot 2 DP 8897 (RT OT16A/150); Sec 22 Blk XV Rimu SD (NZ Gazette 1971, p. 2642); Sec 27 Blk XV Rimu SD (RT OT6A/127); Sec 28 BLK XV Rimu SD (RT OT6A/129); Sec 29 BLK XV Rimu SD (RT OT17A/527); Legal Road; and part of the land described as Pt 10 Sec BLK XV Rimu SD (RT OT16A/150) all Otago Land District. Within the boundary of the historic area there are places that do not contribute to the values of the historic area and are therefore excluded from the group of inter-related historic places that form part of this historic area. These places include structures not specifically identified as being part of the historic area. (Refer to map in Appendix 1 of the List entry report for further information).

Legal description

Lots 1-2 DP 2583 (RT OT177/300); Lot 3 DP 2583 (RT OT 181/204); Lot 4 DP 2583 (RT OT286/142); Lot 11A DP 2583 (RT OT 4B/606); Pt Lot 12 DP 2583 (RT OT6A/131); Lot 13 DP 2583 (RT OT286/142); Lot 1 DP 8897 (RT OT3C/974); Lot 2 DP 16582 (RT OT 7C/138), Sec 1 SO 19126; Lot 2 DP 8897 and Pt Sec 10 BLK XV Rimu SD (RT OT16A/150); Sec 22 Blk XV Rimu SD (NZ Gazette 1971, p. 2642); Sec 27 Blk XV Rimu SD (RT OT6A/127); Sec 28 BLK XV Rimu SD (RT OT6A/129); Sec 29 BLK XV Rimu SD (RT OT17A/527); Legal Road, all Otago Land District

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