Volunteers battling to restore the historic Frankton marina boatshed and slipways for the community's benefit will present their objectives and urge residents to get involved, at a public meeting on August 24.
The Wakatipu Community Maritime Preservation Society Inc has renewed its push to return two slipways to public working order and transform the shipping and ticket office into a maritime museum.
The society aims to raise $680,000 for the project by early 2010. Members have approached community trusts for funding and are keen to hear fundraising ideas from the community in their bid to start restoration work as soon as possible.
Society chairman Tony Butson will give the presentation in the Summit Room at Sky City Casino, in Queenstown, on August 24, at 5.30pm. Members of the public were invited to attend.
Mr Butson was elected by the society's 15 members to the post last week, along with secretary Jay Cassells and treasurer Alan Kirker, both of whom were involved in the successful attempt to save the boatshed from demolition five years ago.
"We've taken her on to restore her back to her former glory and gift her back to the Wakatipu community," Mr Kirker told the Queenstown Times.
The shipping and ticket office was built sometime between 1866 and 1876 on a site near the corner of Hay and Beach Sts, in Queenstown. It was used as a storage shed, then by Lake Wakatipu Steam Shipping Company and then New Zealand Railways.
In the mid to late 1930s, the office was moved alongside the boatshed at Frankton marina, on Sugar Lane. The boatshed was built in 1934-35. The office became a family residence but fell into disrepair.
