This Sunday, 116 years of the Tuapeka Mouth ferry's operation on the Clutha River will be celebrated with a picnic and a family day at the township.
Clutha Valley Tuapeka Heritage Trust chairman Alan Duthie said the ferry, or punt as it is also known, opened in 1896 and was regularly used by farmers and others to cross the river.
To celebrate the punt and its heritage, a family day will be held from 10am to 4pm at the Tuapeka Mouth Domain. Early photos and information about the punt's history will be displayed in the hall.
There were plans to run the punt throughout the event, depending on river levels.
Vintage machinery, cars, and trucks will also join the entertainment, and jet boat rides to the sunken paddle-steamer Matau and up to Rongahere and Blackcleugh, where ferries also ran.
The inventor of a new river turbine, named the Tuapeka Turbine will also demonstrate his prototype in the Clutha River, beside the Tuapeka ferry. Auckland man John Service named his invention after the punt, as its water flow design is based on the Tuapeka ferry.
Mr Duthie said the day was designed to celebrate the punt's history and to regain interest, and pride in the historic ferry, the only one of its kind in New Zealand, and believed to be the last water-driven public punt in the southern hemisphere.
It ferries people and vehicles across the Clutha River just downstream from where the Tuapeka River meets the Clutha, 37km northwest of Balclutha.
Last year the Clutha District Council decided to extend the hours of the ferry operation after requests from the public.
The Tuapeka Mouth Ferry is funded by the council under its road maintenance contracts, and is treated much like a bridge, as use of the ferry is free of charge.
There would be no change to the service from Monday to Friday 8am to 10am and 4pm to 6pm, but the ferry would operate on weekends over the same hours, with special operations outside designated hours, at the council's discretion.
The new hours are due to be implemented in the 2012-13 year and would be subject to annual plan and New Zealand Transport Agency approval, as the agency funds 60% of the punt's costs.
Mr Duthie said the trust, and Clutha Valley and Tuapeka residents were "delighted" with the council's decision to extend the punt's hours.
The punt is operated by Peter Dickson, but council contractors have one trained operator to fill in for Mr Dickson when he is not working, and will consider training an additional operator.
• Tuapeka Mouth Ferry, 10am to 4pm, Sunday February 26.
