On Vacation: A History of Holidaying in Southern New Zealand

This exhibition draws on collection items from the length and breadth of the Hocken to celebrate the history of holidaying in southern New Zealand during the period between the 1870s to the 1970s. Collectively the items on display map the geography of a southern landscape that stretches from the awe-inspiring Otira Gorge in the north to the sublime Fiordland in the south, taking in the holiday resorts of Westland, Aoraki/Mt Cook, 'The Cold Lakes' and the South Otago Coast en route. As well as exploring the destinations that people flocked to, how leisure-seekers travelled and where they stayed, the show's narrative reveals how these locations were promoted and what recreational activities people enjoyed while 'on vacation'.

In the South the holidaying industry was pioneered by a handful of energetic and enterprising individuals such as Milford-based Donald Sutherland who drew public attention to specific sites, identified the potential of certain recreational activities and catered to the requirements of an increasing number of travellers. This exhibition highlights some of these characters and shares the holiday tales of some well-known local personalities. The travel accounts, family photograph albums and sketchbooks of George Chance, T.M. Hocken and William M. Hodgkins respectively are on display.