Nestled in Gabriel’s Gully, the site of New Zealand’s most famous gold rush, last night’s Good Sort is working to preserve a piece of history while paying tribute to someone really special.
Once home to 14,000 people in the 1800s, the area now sees fewer visitors, but Malcolm Ritchie is dedicated to restoring and maintaining a historic musterer’s camp on his property.
The camp features several huts that have been restored, including a shed that survived a landslide and a fire.
One notable restoration is a caravan, known as a ‘smokey’, which Ritchie salvaged and rebuilt from near ruin.
“When I found it, it wasn’t even a glimmer of hope,” he said.
The camp is named after Malcolm’s son Steve who was killed in a forestry accident.
“I’d sooner have Steve than a memorial to him.”
The camp is open to visitors free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ritchie welcomes anyone as long as they respect the site and leave it as they found it.
“If someone else can enjoy what we’ve done, that’s fine with us.”
