1971: Shantytown
January 22, 2022
By AHNZ
On 23 January, 1971, The West Coast Historical and Mechanical Society opened Shantytown near Greymouth. It is a mostly New Zealand Victorian-era immersive museum as well as being the living home of several clubs and societies.
It was part of a GI Generation and Silent Generation burst of civic energy that swept over New Zealand in the late 60s and early 70s. So many spontaneous community projects occurred in that time period that it’s a wonder if nobody besides AHNZ has pointed this out. Shantytown is the greatest going concern from this Heritage Boom. Later in this same year the same enthusiasm for heritage prompted Greymouth vendors to decorate pillars and posts by binding tree ferns to them. It must have looked fantastic and rustic at the time but according to the Greymouth Star it became a mess after they eventually wilted in the summer sun of the New Year.
“We have a deepening interest in places and buildings reflecting our Maori and pioneer heritage. There is ever increasing concern for the need for proper conservation.” – Governor-General Denis Blundell, AA Road Atlas of New Zealand (1974)
“History and heritage was so important to New Zealanders in these early 1970s…These were also the years that so many regional historic societies flourished (perhaps even formed) and federated. I’m always impressed when visiting historical monuments at how very many of them were created or refurbished during this great zenith.” – Before the Boomers: High National Self-Esteem, AHNZ
“The odd assortment of tree ferns which were tied to poles and posts around Greymouth’s shoppiong area at the close of last year was designed to publicise the gold rush gain in the district…The worst aspect, however, was the aftermath with tired, drooping fronds, a dispirited brown in colour, languishing in the gutters..” – Greymouth Star (1972); Greymouth Star (10/1/2022)
Once a site of the West Coast gold rush, then a forestry op, then a lazy bit of land acting as a minor gold claim until the idea was born for a heritage park.
From the first, they acquired the Kaitangata steam engine from the defunct South Otago town they named this loco after. When Tauranga’s equivalent historic village sort of forgot it was trying to be historical at all, Shantytown acquired another steam engine from that town.
What’s required for Shantytown to live long enough for another civic-minded generation to arise to keep it loved and staffed. For that, it needs to get its tourists back by the lifting of the Labour 6.0 COVID-19 isolationism.
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Image ref. Shantydown Can-Can girls on tour in 1973, p59 Boyangs n’ Bandannas, Frank Graham (2001); Colorised by AHNZ
Ref. also 1971: New Zealand’s Heritage: The Making of a Nation
Ref. also 1862: Kaitangata
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