The old brewery hole behind Nicol's Blacksmith forge is to be opened up by a team of local volunteers led by Neil Thorpe, using a $5000 grant from the Meridian Energy Waitaki community fund.
Water from the hole was used by a brewery in Duntroon and later for the town's water supply. Its history is murky, but its water is not. Until recently, it ranked high in clarity and purity, but it has become affected by development in the town and surrounding land.
Water flows about 4.5km underground from where part of the Maerewhenua River disappears into sinkholes. It emerges briefly at the brewery hole, then disappears again under State Highway 83 and ends as springs feeding the Duntroon wetlands.
Mr Thorpe said the grant would be used to clear some of the vegetation from around the deep, wide hole, opening it up. A viewing platform would be built, protective fencing repaired and a pathway installed.
An information board would display what was known about the stream and its use, although it was hoped further research would reveal more.
One of the bigger jobs will be removing a natural limestone arch that collapsed into the hole and rubbish from a former Ministry of Works village in Duntroon during investigations into a hydro power scheme in the 1980s.
The brewery hole will join other major tourism developments in the town, including a restored Nicol's Forge, the Duntroon wetlands, and the Vanished World Centre and Vanished World geological route through North Otago.
The Duntroon District Development Association is also looking at other ventures.
