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Mangawhai Museum will be the venue for the launch of Timber Milling this Friday, a book that shines a light on Mangawhai’s early timber industry.
The launch marks the culmination of months of work by local historians, led by Beverly Ross, alongside Christine Bygrave, Janis Martin, Louise Turner and the late Gloria Durran.
The book is a compilation of images and historical records documenting timber milling activity in the Mid North Kaipara area from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century. It offers a glimpse into the past, showing how farmlands and settlements were once sawmilling sites where people were primarily engaged in cutting kauri.
The recorded information dates from after 1856 and reveals the names of people involved in the industry, along with the techniques used, machinery, vehicles and even animals employed in the milling process, among many other details.
“We included everything that was in the newspapers and recorded, and spoke with anyone who had stories about the mills at the time,” Beverly says.
Bygrave adds that the book documents what the Mangawhai area was like before growth transformed the village into what people see today.
Timber Milling is the group’s third publication, following previous works on gum digging and the history of Tara Road School.
Copies are available for sale at the museum for $35 each.
