A doughty character

With the region celebrating the 150th anniversary of the discovery of gold this year, Remarkable Theatre is presenting a mixture of gold-rush history and tall tales in its Queenstown Gardens production Greed, Glamour and Grudges - Tales of Gold. Joe Dodgshun speaks to members of the cast about the pioneering Wakatipu characters they play.

Julis Eichardt, originally a humble barmaid, had an early connection with the area that endures in a historic hotel on the Queenstown waterfront today, says the woman playing her, Belinda Fraser.

"She married a man by the name of Albert Eichardt, who had won a gold nugget in a lottery and bought the bar from William Rees and eventually she was left in charge of running the place."

Mrs Fraser said the call of gold drew men from around the world, and women followed to deal with the "wash, baking, looking after the kids and serving the men's vices".

Those who came were "hardy women" and Julia would have been among the strongest, Mrs Fraser believes.

"She ran the hotel and it made her strong, having to deal with the gentlemen at the bar, and she even had a special room [The Clay Jar] to put these especially drunk men in." Mrs Fraser said the show, in addition to telling rollicking tales, had "a great historical aspect" that gave an account of the early years in the area and the characters who made that history.

She is especially happy to be involved with the production because of her own links with the gold-rush heritage - her grandfather was a Nevis goldminer.

"I love it and it's a really special time to be involved, as we have the Glenorchy celebrations coming up, and those in Nevis, especially with the connection with the land, the pioneering community and the family history."

The Glenorchy schoolteacher, who grew up in Timaru and used to holiday in Wanaka, says the gold heritage is in her blood and when not teaching, she joins her husband in taking Rural Discovery Tours to places such as Skippers Canyon.

There will be eight performances of Greed, Glamour and Grudges - Tales of Gold from Friday to Sunday as part of the Queenstown Lakes District Council's Summerdaze festivities.