Like a super hero, the humble, brightly coloured 140-year-old historic cottage seems to be indestructible, despite being moved yesterday for the third time in its life.
The house was originally built on the corner of Braemar and Lorne Sts, opposite the gasworks in the 1880s, and was one of many on the street lived in by gas workers.
Over the years, as the South Dunedin area became more and more industrialised, the house was eventually the last one standing in Braemar St.
A decade ago, when it was lined up for demolition to make way for yet another business premises, Southern Heritage Trust founding trustee Ann Barsby took it upon herself to save it by moving it to an empty section nearby, in Michie St.
She had plans to restore it as a place for the public to visit and learn how workers of yesteryear lived, what life in industrial South Dunedin was like and how gas appliances were used in the home.
In 2017, it was moved again to Tahuna Park, beside the water treatment plant, but it had to be moved again yesterday to make way for the upcoming Fifa Women’s World Cup.
With assistance, the cottage was moved early yesterday morning from Tahuna to the Gasworks Museum site — its third move in the past decade.
"I’ve never heard of a house being moved so many times," Mrs Barsby said.
Sadly, a permanent home for the cottage was still to be found.
"The Southern Heritage and Gasworks Museum Trusts are grateful for support and Dunedin City Council assistance.
"[But] we are still needing a permanent home near to the gasworks. It is only on this site temporarily, for two years maximum.
"This gives us a little bit more breathing space while we find a permanent spot."
"The gasworks is sympathetic to the project because it is intended to be an artefact for the gasworks. So somewhere close to it would be ideal."
Despite a lot of vandalism in recent years, volunteers had kept patching the cottage up and it still had good structural bones.
"Even after all these years, I’m still relieved we have been able to rescue it."
